Woolenook (Wood Camp)

Woolenook Wood Camp was a World War 2 internment and prisoner of war camp, located along the River Murray, in South Australia's Riverland. It was officially part of the Loveday POW Camp complex, and housed Japanese internees and later, Japanese prisoners of war. They were employed as wood cutters for the Allied war effort. It was similar to wood camps throughout South Australia at the time, including two others attached to the Loveday POW camps - Moorook West (Wood Camp) and Katarapko (Wood Camp).

The camp consisted of a tented compound, surrounded by barbed wire. The camp guard was provided by members of the 25/33 Garrison Battalion, a militia unit of the Australian Army. At one stage, the civilian internees were removed from the camp for their own safety, because Japanese POWs considered them spies. The camp was officially closed on 6 May, 1945 and within a year, all salvagable buildings were sold at auction.

External links

* [http://www.ozatwar.com/pow/woolenook.htm Details of Woolenook (Wood Camp)]
* [http://www.naa.gov.au/about-us/publications/fact-sheets/fs107.aspx Australian National Archives factsheet about Loveday POW & Internee Camp, South Australia]

ee also

* List of POW camps in Australia
* Loveday Camp 9
* Loveday Camp 10
* Loveday Camp 14