For many men, isolation and loneliness was very real when they were working through their two year contract. 

If married, they were often separated from wives and families.  Wives and children were located in other camps or finishing their two year contracts hundreds of kilometres away.  For single men, life during those early days was characterised by constant instability and attempts at finding groups of other Polish people or new arrivals who could provide a friendly and supportive environment.

Most of the work was in country Australia.  Large schemes such as the Snowy Mountains Scheme or the Hydro Electric Scheme in Tasmania.  Other workers were placed on farms, building road or railways.  Some were involved in the forest industry in eastern Victoria.  While others were allocated work on farms.  It did not matter whether you had education or trade qualifications - you were brought to Australia as a labour force - to develop Australia.