Sotirios Manolopoulos

Story

Born 1936 in the region of Olympia, Southern Greece at a mountainous village called ‘Sithirokastro\’. The oldest of four children, my father was the village blacksmith who traded his skills to provide for the family. Life was poor, we had few possessions. Shoes were a luxury. My childhood memories were scared by the horrors of WW2 and the Greek civil war (1945-1950). Images from that period have haunted me a lifetime. Although surrounded by the ruins of human tragedy, I had the hope life would improve and the belief I had much to offer.

My education was basic, but my desire to learn and experience life was great. I went to study electrical engineering; however during that period in Greece employment opportunities were few. I considered my father\’s profession, but my desire to escape the confines of village life deterred me.

It was during this era of personal struggle that the floodgates to immigration were opening in Greece. I heard of many people leaving for far away countries I knew nothing of. It was a chance to leave the social and economic struggles of everyday life. I seized the opportunity and joined the exodus.

I made applications for Australia and Venezuela. Lucky for me, Australia came back first. At 19 years of age and against my parents\’ wishes, I left Greece on the 21 August 1955 from Piraeus on the ship ‘Tasmania\’ bound for Australia. After 32 days at sea we docked into the Port of Melbourne on the 22 September.

It was during this sea voyage that the enormity of the decision I made was actually realised. Barely an adult and with little life experience, I had left behind the security of my home to travel with strangers to a foreign land. Yet I felt a bond with the people I travelled with as we were all bound by the same emotions. It is this common bond that defines the migrant and one which I have identified with a lifetime.

I will never forget my arrival Ð it was the beginning of my adventure. Not speaking the language, I stayed close to my fellow Greek migrants and coming from a remote mountain village in Greece, I may as well have landed on another planet.

We journeyed by rail to the migrant camp in Bonegilla Victoria where I lived with another 54 migrants. Block 8 was my first home. I soon left for the remote areas of North Queensland to work on irrigation and to cut sugar cane.

I returned back to Melbourne where I was told of better fortunes Ð cutting timber for the paper mills. I lived and worked like a true pioneer around Licola, Bairnsdale and West Maffra in Victoria.

My first milestone achieved was obtaining my driver\’s licence and later in 1956 I had saved enough money to buy my first car. I soon progressed to a tip truck and became one of the first Greeks in Melbourne to work in civil works.

In 1960 I married my wife Angela, another migrant from Greece and we bought our first home in the suburb of Abbotsford. By the end of 1962 the first of our three daughters was born and I also managed to migrate my parents and siblings from Greece.

Together with my father and brother we opened our first business in Australia Ð Alpha Wrought Iron in Fitzroy. But my passion for adventure saw me leave the business and return to civil works. I purchased an excavator and by 1968 I had taken my family to Darwin, operating my own civil contracting business. It was during this period that a chance encounter changed my life.

While passing through the North West Queensland mining town of Mt Isa in 1969, I came across a fellow migrant I had not seen since leaving the migrant camp in 1955. He told me of better prospects in Mt Isa, at the time a world producer of copper, silver, lead and zinc. I decided to try my luck and before long, I was sub-contracting for Mt Isa Mines. At the time, the mines were supplied (from various sources) solid concrete blocks for underground applications. Supply was inconsistent, but the demand was high. I saw this as opportunity, approaching Mt Isa Mines to produce the blocks locally.

In 1970 I established Mt Isa Brickworks producing 3-4000 blocks daily and soon became the sole supplier to the mines. Along with a sand and gravel operation, I provided employment and contributed to the local community until 1989.

My story is not unique. It\’s typical of the migrant\’s spirit for pursuing a better life. What is unique is the country of Australia and its spirit for giving someone ‘a fair go’. Australia embraced me as one of its own when I arrived and today I am proud to be one of its citizens.

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