The continent has a reputation for wild extremes in weather.

Migrants from the camp will have an opportunity to share their stories this week with PhD student Gretel Evans.

“I’ve really found that continuous history of floods in Maitland really interesting,” Ms Evans said.

“I’m also interested in how those people who came to the Greta migrant camp might have found that too.”

Maitland is only one of a handful of places that will feature in the thesis The Persistent Past: Flood, Fire, Wind and Migrant Responses to Natural Disasters in Australia. 

Ms Evans hopes to complete a series of interviews and compile the oral histories as part of her PhD in the University of Melbourne history department.

Her studies will take her to Far North Queensland to speak with cyclone survivors and the fire grounds of Victoria that were the scene of the Black Saturday bushfires.

Ms Evans’ visit to Maitland this week coincides with the 60th anniversary of the 1955 flood and a series of commemorative events.

“I’m hopeful of finding more people to interview through the 60th anniversary commemorations of the flood,” she said.

Maitland councillor and child of the Greta camp Henry Meskauskas is one of the interview subjects.

“I think Henry will have some great things to say,” Ms Evans said.

People who wish to have an interview or who have suggestions should email Gretel Evans at gretele@student.unimelb.edu.au.