Giuseppe Dichiera
| Town/City | Harcourt Nth, Victoria |
|---|---|
| First name | Giuseppe |
| Last name | Dichiera |
| Country of Origin | Italy |
| Date of Birth | 18/10/22 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1936 |
| Submitted by | Jennifer McKenry (nee Dichiera) |
Story
Giuseppe Dichiera was born on 18 October 1922 in San Nicola di Caulonia, Italy. He was the youngest of Rocco Dichiera & Carmela Simonetta\’s children & their only son.
In October 1927 Rocco left for Australia. In 1936, aged 13, Giuseppe arrived in Australia with his mother. They joined Rocco in Aloomba, Queensl&.
Giuseppe remembered his first purchase. Sent to buy bread, he asked for ‘pane\’. The shopkeeper scratched his head & Joe walked out of the shop with a bag of bananas.
Giuseppe went to Merriwa Primary School & became Joe. He left school a few years later with a good comm& of English & a reasonable bating average.
Joe cut cane in Aloomba until 1942, when he was conscripted into the Civil Aliens Corp (Alien Q12333). He was sent to the NT where he drove trucks. The bore water gave him debilitating dysentery. He couldn\’t work. He was interned in 1943 & became Internee Q8758.
On 5/2/43 he was interviewed in Loveday. He says, ‘..I was brought out here by my father to escape war ..I came here to make a home..I am a Pacifist & I do not mix with Fascists..’
Joe went back into the Civil Aliens Corp. He was released from his restriction order on 11/4/45. He took a fancy to Rosa Manno, from Redlynch & asked his parents to visit hers to see if she would consent to marriage. She did.
Originally in favour of the marriage, Joe\’s parents changed their minds as they wanted him to go south with them. Joe pretended to comply but left the train at the last minute. He married Rosa in Cairns on 5/10/1946.
They share-farmed tobacco in Mareeba but when mildew reduced the crop they decided to accept Joe\’s father\’s offer to jointly buy a 10 acre dried fruit property in Irymple, Victoria.
In 1948 Joe began his life as a blockie. Weekends were for block work & glasshouse tomatoes. Week days he worked, firstly building the Golden Fleece Depot & later at the Irymple Packing Company (IPC), where he was often asked to translate for other migrants even if they didn\’t speak Italian. He also laboured on the foundations of the Mildura Water Tower.
Joe mixed easily & established himself in both the Australian & Italian communities. Later he would help form the first Italian Club in Sunraysia, the Club da Vinci, & serve on its committee.
Joe\’s help & advice was sought by newly arrived migrants. He assisted many with the administrative arrangements. In the early 50s he helped sponsor his sister Maria\’s family to Australia.
Joe enjoyed a night of song or story telling, going to the pictures, duck shooting or playing cards. Years later he tried community acting. His most celebrated role was that of Judas in the Passione di Christo.
On 17 January 1954, a daughter was born Ð Jennifer Rose. Joe was working two paid jobs at the time.
In 1958 Joe bought his first car, a practical Holden Ute.
The next year having improved their property from producing 5 to 18 tons of fruit Joe & Rosa moved to a 30 acre block in Mildura South. It was overgrown, had old vines & was full of grass. Joe & Rosa thought they could make something of it.
The first year it produced 11 tons. They replanted old vines, built racks, sheds & pickers\’ quarters & put in drains. They helped pay off their loan by sending fresh fruit & vegetables to market & Rosa continued to work at the IPC. She stopped when a second daughter, Josephine Maria was born in 1961.
Joe invested most of his time & money into the block. When he did relax he loved fishing & camping.
In 1979 he & Rosa returned to Queensl&. They repeated the trip again in 1981, & 1984. Queensl& was their spiritual home.
Over this time Joe & Rosa became recognised for producing top crown fruit, an achievement that made Joe proud. The block also produced 50 tons of fruit, 20 more than the target Joe had set.
Joe\’s other farm enjoyments came from conserving fruit, pickling olives, growing vegetables & making tomato sauce & wine.
Both daughters were now living away from home & had successfully completed tertiary education. Joe always valued education. At a time when many southern Italian immigrants kept their daughters at home he stood out in allowing his daughters to stay at school.
In 1982, Joe suffered a serious heart attack. His priorities changed. He built Rosa a new home, participated more in Senior\’s activities & in 1985 sold much of the property.
Health prevented him seeing Italy again but he sent Rosa in 1987 with his daughter & son-in- law. Rosa took many slides so that Joe could share her experiences.
In December 1988 Joe suffered a fatal heart attack. He can be remembered not only for the security he left his family but for his contribution to the Australian Dried Fruit Industry & the friendships & respect of those who knew him.