Is there any information on an R & R camp built specifically for US Navy personell WW2 in Newtown Park, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia?

Dear Ms. Ganley,

Thank you for posting your question to the History Hub.

A quick search of the National Archives Catalog offers a few series which may contain the information you are looking for. The series General Records from Record Group 24: Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel was created by the Navy’s Recreational Services Section and “consists of memorandums, pamphlets, magazines, letters, handbooks, and blueprints related to various forms of entertainment, recreational activities, and facilities and personnel management.” The series General Correspondence from RG 181: Records of Naval Districts and Shore Establishments also includes records related to “recreation, welfare, and morale.”

Additionally, you might find some relevant information in the series created by the Joint Army and Navy Committee on Welfare and Recreation. That page in the National Archives Catalog describes the committee and provides a link to related series of records. Other potentially relevant organizations are the War Department. Office of the Chief of Staff. Morale Branch and its successors.

These records are all in the custody of the Textual Reference Branch at the National Archives in College Park, MD (Archives II). You can email them directly at archives2reference@nara.gov with questions.

Best of luck with your search, and thank you, again, for sharing your question with the History Hub.