Santo Di Bartolo

Story

Santo Di Bartolo departed from Rome on the first paying migrants’ flight from Italy to Australia after World War II. It was 14th September 1948, and he was one of 27 Italian men, women and children from all around Italy who headed to Sydney with much optimism and dreams of a better life.

The flight took 7 days in a converted Dakota DC3 bomber, as the navigation system only operated in daylight hours so departure was 7am. One engine caught fire over South East Asia and they flew several tense hours on only one engine.

Santo was 27 years of age and unmarried when he arrived in Sydney to be met by his brother Joseph Di Bartolo and his family. After 3 days they travelled to Griffith NSW where Joseph lived. Santo worked for the next eight months as a farmer cultivating apples, pears, plums, grapes and oranges.

Conditional upon his acceptance as a migrant to Australia, Santo had committed to work in the cane fields in North Queensland so he and a friend travelled by train to Ingham to honour this promise. He was met by another brother, Rosario Di Bartolo who lived nearby in Mossman. Santo worked alongside 7 other Italians in the cane field owned by his cousins Alfio and Rosario Di Bartolo for the next 7 months. Despite the offer of his own cane field being purchased for him, Santo returned to Griffith NSW as he did not like the climate or working with the cane in Queensland.

Early in 1949 Santo asked his mother to find him a bride to bring to Australia as he had not met anyone here. His mother, Rosaria, and sister. Orazia began their quest. After months of searching, and rejections, the neighbours’ niece Orazia Cantarella agreed to be his bride. Australian law decreed the couple be married prior to departing their homeland, so Orazia and Santo were wed by proxy on 28th October 1950. The courageous Orazia departed by ship, alone, in May1951 to meet her husband whom she had only met once in her life (the families were well acquainted). The Lloyd Triestino ship took 35 days to reach Sydney.

Santo and Orazia lived in Lake Wyangan (Griffith) and raised a family of four over the 27 years duration. Rosario (Ross) Di Bartolo was born 8th April 1953, Salvatore (Sam) Di Bartolo on 31st July 1957, Cecilia Di Bartolo on 4th June 1963 and Anna Maria Di Bartolo was born 17th July 1972.

The whole family worked very hard on the farm which delivered produce to the Melbourne and Sydney markets (peaches, oranges, apricots, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes and a little bit of everything). Santo had fulfilled his dream of farming which he had loved his whole life.

In 1962 Santo decided to visit the homeland with the possibility of staying permanently with his wife and 2 sons, as their families in Italy had missed them very much. This was not to be, however, as Ross and Sam were too accustomed to the Australian way of life and longed to return to their home. Australia was the land of opportunity and their chances of advancement and financial wealth were attainable so after only 6 months the whole family said goodbye to Sicily.

Santo liked to take driving trips away with the family and found himself drawn to the coast of NSW, in particular the areas of Moruya, Batemans Bay and Ulladulla. Santo had always longed to live by the sea again as he grew up close to it in Sicily.

In March 1977 Santo sold the farm and the family (without Ross who now lived in Canberra) packed all their belongings onto a semitrailer and moved to Ulladulla, on the south coast of NSW. The family started a successful wholesale/retail fruit market supplying fruit and vegetables up and down the coast. The family worked morning, noon and night to build the business.

At the age of 75 Santo retired from the business but wild horses cannot keep him away from his hobby farm in the backyard.

Santo has always been an adventurous, determined man with a sense of purpose to succeed in his life. His wife, Orazia, with a similar dedication to hard work and drive to succeed has helped him to make a success of all he has attempted in Australia.

He has been an inspiration to his friends, 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

His energy and passion is infinite.

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