Bonegilla — The Migrants’ Journey
8pm Friday 28 August 2026 [SOLD OUT]
EXTRA SHOW: 2pm Sunday 30 August 2026
The Theatre, Belconnen Arts Centre
Tickets: $47 Adult, $39.50 Concession, $37 Groups of 6+
Contains Images of War
Duration: 90 minutes.
Bonegilla — The Migrants’ Journey is an award-winning multimedia show that uses interviews with post-war migrants that passed through the Bonegilla migrant camp near Albury / Wodonga, played on large screens. Featuring first-hand interviews with European migrants with their photos and videos, this performance is selling out venues all around Australia. The touching stories are further enhanced by a live violin and piano soundtrack and a stage decorated with a sea of candles and migrant memorabilia.
★★★★★
“The audience laughed, cried, and exchanged knowing glances, sharing in the collective appreciation for these brave pioneers, whose tenacity, love, and generosity shaped the heart of our communities. Simon Reich captured an important chapter in our national story, but he has also reminded us that behind every migration statistic is a human story of courage, sacrifice, and ultimately, belonging.”
— Terese Casu Former CEO of Sydney Mardi Gras and Sydney Film Festival
★★★★★
“Simon Reich delivered a moving and masterful work of historical storytelling with Bonegilla, an immersive presentation that deeply resonated with audiences — both those with personal or familial connections to Bonegilla and those with a broader interest in Australia’s migrant history. Through the powerful combination of oral histories, documentary images, and evocative soundscapes, Simon painted a vivid and emotional portrait of the migrant experience. His presentation prompted laughter, tears, reflection, and a deeper understanding of a defining chapter in Australia’s multicultural journey.”
— Amie Zar Community History Coordinator of Inner West Council (Sydney).
★★★★★
“Bonegilla is a moving film that shares the stories of post-WWII migrants who arrived in Australia through the Bonegilla Migrant Centre. The show blends video interviews, historic photos & live music which brings to life the personal stories in a powerful & accessible way. On the night we had a sell- out audience; there was laughter, tears and the audience left richer for the experience.”
— Meg Butcher Events Office Ku-ring-gai Council (Sydney)
About Simon Reich
After the success of the award-winning podcast Up from the Rubble Simon made about his father, he has been travelling the country interviewing people who passed through the Bonegilla Migrant Camp in Albury / Wodonga. Simon’s skill as a composer was used extensively in the audio documentary and now he wants to share the whole immersive experience with you as a live music, soundscape and multi video screen performance.
Simon has been bestowed with a W3 award and a Webby award in the U.S.A. for Up from the Rubble. The Bonegilla Stories and More Bonegilla Stories podcast series have captured a Public Records of Victoria gong and a National Trust NSW award. Bonegilla — The Migrants’ Journey was selected as an annual arts grant recipient by the City of Melbourne. It also won the Peoples’ Choice Award in the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival and was chosen in the Berlin Refugees Film Festival.
Simon is currently filming, editing and preparing the follow up to this show: Bonegilla — Their Lives in a Suitcase.