The Australian Defence Force acquired 80,000 acres (approximately 32,375 hectares) of land at Holsworthy before the beginning of World War I.
Following the declaration of war, all German subjects in Australia were declared ‘enemy aliens’ and were required to report and notify the Government of their address.
[1] In February 1915 enemy aliens were interned either voluntarily or on an enforced basis.
[1] Most of the internees were from the Austro-Hungarian empire including Germans, Slavic men mostly from Dalmatia, as well as Czechoslovakians and Hungarians,[2] staff of German companies who were living in Australia, crews of ships caught in Australian ports as well as naturalised and native born Australians of German descent.
[1] In 1916 there were riots when a crime gang calling itself the Black Hand assaulted and extorted money and goods from fellow internees.