Between 1945 and 1965, the Australian Government assisted more than two million migrants in moving to Australia.

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, large numbers of people from Eastern Europe—including Poland, Yugoslavia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary—migrated to Australia. These migrants, known as Displaced Persons, were fleeing persecution in Soviet-controlled countries. During the late 1950s and 1960s, they were joined by many migrants from Western Europe and Britain.

The Wallgrove Migrant Hostel, (located near Wallgrove Road and the M4/M7 intersection) was one of 36 such hostels operating in New South Wales. At its peak capacity, Wallgrove could accommodate approximately 2,500 people.