Villawood Immigration Detention Centre

Built in 1949 to accommodate post-war refugees from Europe, a section of the original camp was converted into an immigration detention centre in 1976.

A month later, a Four Corners documentary, "The Inside Story", revealed the plight of six-year-old Iranian refugee Shayan Bedraie, who had been refusing to speak or eat.

An investigation into conditions in Australia’s privately run centres found detainees are openly growing marijuana plants in their rooms at Sydney’s Villawood detention centre, as Australian Border Force conceded drug and alcohol use have led to violent and dangerous conditions.

At 31 May 2021 it held 485 people including 278 Section 501 visa cancellations, 74 asylum seekers who arrived by boat, and 133 detainees in other categories.

[7][37][38] with the Australian Border Force, an agency of the Department of Home Affairs, responsible for the welfare of the detainees.