Immigration Stories
Throughout history stories have been used to illuminate, to educate, to recount, to challenge and to engage. Every individual’s life experience is unique and dynamic, particularly for those of us who have journeyed far from our homes to establish new lives in foreign countries.
Australia’s migrant history has enabled us to develop into the strong nation we are today. Personal stories and anecdotes are an important opportunity to enrich the public record and to embellish our history. Immigration Place Australia encourages the collection of immigrant stories. By giving a voice to our immigrants, we hope to record significant experiences with increased depth and nuance. We envision an opportunity to connect generations and to build community via a comprehensive record of the distinctive immigration footprint of Australia.
IPA’s mission is to continue to collect stories until completion of the construction of Immigration Place in Canberra. At that time, subject to the agreement of the National Archives of Australia those stories will be transferred to their website – Destination Australia.
We encourage you to record your stories or those of your ancestors.
All Stories
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The Last Victim of the Bleirgurg Massacre – Part 2 (from Yugoslavia to Australia)
Under amnesty in Yugoslavia for all those, who survived that massacre, I was offered along with a selected group of 2,000 officers to join Communist Party of …
Franjo Podolsak, Croatia, 1950
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The Last Victim of the Bleirburg Massacre – Part 1 (Yugoslavia)
As a young lad, I always have a dream – to be an army officer. My fascination with a military life was perpetrated by many real life stories of the past.
By the age of 16, I enrolled…
Franjo Podolsak, Croatia, 1950
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The Story of Guenter Kath Part 2 – supplementary notes.
The wider Kath family nearly half a century after arrival in Australia:
Guenter\’s first wife went back to Germany, to care for the orphaned children of one of her older daughters…
Guenter Kath, Germany, Nov-60
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The Kath Family Ð written by Mrs. Heidrun Kath, wife of Guenter Kath. (Part1 – supplementary notes published separately in Part 2)
Guenter kath arrived in Australia in November 1960, together with his wife Margarete and their five children,…
Guenter Kath, Germany, Nov-60
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Thomas was born in Brockhurst England 10.4.1812, to William and Elizabeth Good. His father is shown to be a Carrier. Along with a brother William, Thomas was baptised on 2.5.1813, in the County of Southampton. I have no knowledge of his childhood …
Thomas Good, England, 1832
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Desiderius Orban OBE (26 Nov 1884 – 4 Oct 1986) – yesteryear’s migrant, a renowned Hungarian-born Australian painter, textile designer, and art teacher who started off in Australia as a humble but unknown artist.
Born Orbán…
Desiderius (Dezső) Orbán, Hungary, 1939
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Laura WEST was born in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland (near Edinburgh), on 2/11/1858 of John WEST and Augusta MICHELL. Her birth certificate actually indicates, “at 2am Woodcockdale Cafe”, which is just outside of Linlithgow.…
Laura West, Scotland, 1882
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Frederick Nugent de BELIN was born at Holy Trinity, Guildford, Surrey County, England, on 28/9/1845, and was baptised there on 23/1/1846 The ceremony was performed by his father, the Reverend Charles Joseph de BELIN. At the time the family were …
Frederick de Belin, England, C1880
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Having travelled a little in Australia I felt that this would be the country that would offer my family the most opportunity to excel to the fullest of all our potentials. My own parents had arrived in Fiji from India for opportunities for the children…
Ikebal Patel, Fiji, 1992
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I am Chuen-Tat Kang (www.kangchuentat.com). I lived in Malaysia since I wasborn in June 1977 in an island state of Penang – well known as the garden of the East. I have never been to Australia before year 2003. After completing the undergraduate…
Chuen-Tat Kang, Malaysia, 2004
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I was born Paranja Solar at Muzyliw in Ukraine, the eldest of 6 children. We owned farm-land strips away from the village growing flax, wheat, rye, oats, barley and corn. We had fruit trees, grew our own vegetables and had some animals.
With the German…
Paranja Czochara, Ukraine, 1950
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Joseph Applebee was born into poverty some time in 1823, to parents John Applebee and Ann Gould. His parents were married at Clifford Chambers then in Gloucester (now part of Warwickshire) on the 24th of July 1820. They were immediately put on Poor…
Joseph Applebee, England, 1839
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George was born in Bisse Hungary on the 19th Dec 1909. His ancestors were Schwabbs from Bavaria, probably came to Hungary to take up farming. George\’s family used to speak German at home. He had three elder brothers Janos, Adam and Imre and …
GEORGE EILER, HUNGARY, 1949
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My name is Sue Pye (formerly Owen). I am writing this story on behalf of my mother, Marie Bonnell Owen, (formerly Peacock). Mum is not able to write this herself as she is blind, but has contributed to this story.
Both Bill and Marie were products of the…
Marie Bonnell Owen, United Kingdom, 7/20/1965
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WW2 came to an end in Malta GC in 1945. Thousands of workers were being laid off and during 1946 the Maltese Government started an Immigration Program encouraging people to migrate to another country like Canada, USA, UK and Australia. During 1947…
William John Coxhead, Malta G C Europe, 1951
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Reason for leaving homeland – To make a better life for ourself and for a better climate
About the Journey – We flew over here and we had a fantastic journey and were met at Sydney by very nice people
Impressions on Arrival – I was a …
David & Elizabeth Stark, Scotland, May-72
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My father, Augustine Roche (known in the family as Michael) met my mother, Rita whilst in the RAF in England in 1947. In 1948 they married and both left the RAF to settle down to civilian life, in and around Chadderton, and Oldham, having 2 daughters …
Mary Roche, England, 1965
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Early in 1957 my father, Jim Murray, came home from work one day and said that Gillette, his employer at the time, had decided to open a factory in Australia and were asking for applicants from various departments. It sounded such a huge undertaking…
Ian Murray, England, 1957
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Attilio Calgaro was born in Tretto, Schio in Northern Italy on the 13th February 1894. He was the eldest and only son in a family of 6 children.
At the age of 12, Attilio and his father, Giovanni, worked in the stone mines in Germany.
Attilio served 2 years…
Attilio CALGARO, Italy, 1927
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Richard Knuckey was born of Cornish mining stock. The Knuckey family had lived in the village of Stithians, Cornwall, for many generations where they worked in the surrounding mines. Richard was christened on 23rd December 1822, the son of Richard…
Richard Knuckey, Cornwall, England, 1854
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Patrick Moran was baptised on 12th March 1836 in Ballymore, County Westmeath, Ireland, the son of Nicholas Moran and Bridget nee Donlan. When around 17 years of age (circa 1853) he left Ireland and travelled to South Australia, perhaps, being the…
Patrick Moran, Ireland, circa 1853
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Harry Wright was born on 22nd November 1866 in Cromer Hyde, near Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England into a family with a strong farming tradition for many generations. His mother, Emma nee Lake, died just 6 days after his birth and when his father, …
Harry Wright, Hertfordshire, England, 1888
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Mary Ann Thomas was born posthumously in early 1829 in Gwennap, Cornwall, England, following the death of her father John Thomas, a miner, in July 1828. She was christened on 10th February 1829 in neighbouring Redruth, her mother\’s home …
Mary Ann Knuckey nee Thomas, Cornwall, England, 1854
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Ann Many or Manny was born in the townland of Montrath, parish of Rahugh, near Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, Ireland, circa 1835. She was the daughter of Patrick Many, a miller, & Mary nee Casey. When aged around 20 years old she immigrated to …
Ann Many or Manny, Ireland, ? 1855
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Bridget O\’Connell was born on 28th April 1868 in Newbridge, County Limerick, Ireland, the daughter of John O\’Connell, a carpenter, and Mary nee Riordan. She was the eldest of twelve children. The O\’Connell family had been…
Bridget O’Connell, Ireland, 1890
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My husband George , a Plumber in the UK was getting more sick with Bronchitus, I had always wanted to live in Australia and our Doctor said it would be good for him, so I convinced him to give Australia a chance. It was the best move we ever made. Our 2 children…
George Frederick Gibson, United Kingdom, 11/1/1979
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My dad Robert Yates and mum Lilian (nee Charles) left England in 1953 because Dad was not paid for a job and felt England was finished. He had met Australians when he was a POW for just over 3 years on the Burma railway. A Melbourne doctor had amputated …
Robert and Lilian and Christina Yates, England, 1953
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