Maria Zaklan
| Town/City | Brisbane |
|---|---|
| First name | Maria |
| Last name | Zaklan |
| Country of Origin | Yugoslavia |
| Date of Birth | 17/06/26 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1957 |
| Submitted by | Malissa Johnson |
Story
My mother Maria left her homeland to find a better life with her husband and their future family. She lived on a family farm in a village and during WW2 she spent time on a farm in Hungary. She was 31 years of age in 1957 when she left her family home with Steve (who she would marry) and a friend. The three of them left under the cover of darkness and made their way to cross the border with Austria some time later. Steve and Maria married in Salzburg and travelled to Australia soon afterward.
The journey took one month by ship and they travelled to Sydney. During the trip Maria was pregnant with her first child Milica and recounts the story of her food cravings – the cook kindly gave her the onions she craved to eat. From Sydney they were taken to a migrant camp in Greta. Later they moved to Wacol migrant camp in Brisbane where they would find work. She had two children – Milica and Miroslav.
I am not sure what Maria’s first impressions were however she did travel back to her home country for a visit in the seventies. She returned to Australia after three months and never went back. She lived in Goodna with her husband Steve and lived for her grandchildren. She created many handmade items knitting, crocheting and sewing into the night. In 2008 Maria passed on after a short illness.