Scheyville Camp precinct

Type

Historic buildings/places

Where

Scheyville National Park in Sydney and surrounds

Accessibility

Medium

Opening times

Scheyville Camp precinct opens at 8am and closes at 5pm (8pm during daylight savings).

What to
bring

Hat, sunscreen

Please note

Remember to take your binoculars if you want to birdwatch.

Step back in time and explore the unique heritage of Scheyville Camp precinct in Scheyville National Park.

Throughout the 20th century, this site played host to many different people and projects. It was once a socialist labour settlement, then the Dreadnought Trust’s training scheme for young British men and a place where Australian city boys came to learn farming skills. Scheyville even functioned for a time as a military camp to train newly selected officer cadets. It later became the largest immigration hostel in Australia, a fascinating history which is detailed in the Migrant Heritage walk.

The site’s heritage is abundantly clear as you wander around old buildings and take in the interpretive signs. This is a particularly good stop for history buffs, school students, or people just looking to bookend a relaxing picnic with some light learning. Expect to find several easy walks around restored buildings from the 1920s or 50s, buildings in current restoration, or remnants of structures long since fallen.

Scheyville Camp precinct has a strong historical value, but also a strong emotional one. Residents came to the site during times of great change in their lives, as Dreadnought boys, post-World War II migrants, or National Service Officers during the Vietnam War. The site is a legacy to these people.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info