The Story of Italian Migration to Australia 2017 Version 

I just stumbled on this and found it very moving. I'm Greek-Australian and can really relate to your story. I also grew up with many Italian-Australians from primary school and was fortunate enough to be invited into their homes and embraced by their families. Beautiful and warm people. I have been learning Italian over the past four years and am fairly fluent. The interactions I had with Italian people made me love the culture.

Man this made me cry. Thinking both sides of nonni whome did this in the 50s and 70s from Italy to Sydney, Australia. With those occupations shown in the video. We as a country have benefited from all the Italian immigration over the years.

A good account. I arrived in 1953 at the age of 7 years and remember dealing with the locals. It wasn't easy.

Thankyou for this beautiful dedication to the Italian migrants. This is a story for many of us I was born in Melbourne and my parents, family made this journey. I remember 64 years now of this story and I am truly grateful for their sacrifices. We are grateful and have brought Melbourne to its rise from their hard work and efforts. always thanking that work was there in that time.Lets keep sharing the story and this is what Australia day stands for united.

I have tears watching this. So well done. My family also came to Australia (Melbourne) from Italy in 1952. Giuseppe (Joe) Rechichi I honour you. RIP. Thank you for this video it is a great reminder of their struggles and contributions to Australia.

Thank you so much for this video. I'm an Italian teacher and shared this video with my Year 8 students. They enjoyed it and it helped me to explain the migration story in a profound way. On a personal level, the ending where you speak of your family is beautiful and brought tears to my eyes, I can relate to your story because my nonni's reasons for migrating here from Sicily were the same and like you, I am forever grateful to them.

What a beautiful dedication to the Italian migrants. Coming from a Greek background, I too sympathise with the actions taken by Italians, Greeks and others. To leave your mother country for a destination that is far away and unknown would be over whelming for myself if I was put in the same predicament. I take my hat off to all other migrants who sought for a better world in preset to give us, the second generation the freedoms and liberties to become whomever we want!

Oh how beautiful...so heart wrenching. The same story in Toronto, Canada. My dad's best friend went to Australia from Calabria and my dad went to Toronto...I always wonder where he went in Australia and if he has family there now. I have a photo of my dad and him.

This brought me to tears. As a second generation Australian, I have overwhelming gratitude for my grandparents who came from Greece and Lebanon in the 1960's for a better life. I am forever grateful for the sacrifices they made for future generations (like myself) to prosper and have a multitude of opportunities at my doorstep to take as I please. It is because of them I have what I have. My family is everything and It's beautiful for you to have shared your family's story. God Bless, Elle.

Wonderfully edited and very emotional tribute to your family heritage. My family's migration chain started in 1875 from the Ionian Island of Ithaca, Greece. Your video reflects all early migration, well done, your family living and those departed to another realm will be proud.

What a beautiful dedication to your family and all Italians. I cried right through the video with joy and thanks for my own family. Your family must be so proud of you!!

Well done, nice photo complication, i arrived back in 1971 with mum dad and my brothers (Galileo galilei ship) straight to a tobacco farm in the king valley...the good old days

I too Travelled the same road , My father arrived in 1952 ,my mother and with the 3 of us arrived in 1956 and lived the migrant experience. Giuseppe (Joe) Cossari

It's always interesting watching a collection of photos showing smiling faces. While it's true, the migrant Italians brought their culture, traditions, rituals with them and stuck together and had family catchups/lunches etc., that's only part of the story. What's not talked about here is the violence and abuse that went on behind the scenes in some quarters - the men who were taunted at work by the English and who turned violent and abusive, the women who were controlled and not allowed to work in factories, the children who were bullied at school. Though I'm proud of my Italian heritage, it wasn't all roses and romance as this youtube video tries to portray.

I've just wept! Its the migrant story to its fullest. Thank you for sharing and giving us the privilege of your story.

Brings a tear to the eye. What many people don't know is that the vast majority of Italians that immigrated here were from peasant backgrounds from Southern Italy with little to no education. Despised by Northern Italians, and Australians alike. Yet, as shown here, they were able to run their own businesses. I also know of these stories all too well, as I was one of them, arriving in Australia at 19 months of age with my parents in 1964.

wow this is almost identical to my family's story as well. so glad i came across this video

what a brilliant video complimenti loved all the photos x

That was beautiful. I am so lucky to have my Italian heritage, Grazie Armando, my father. Rest in Peace Andy.

so so beautiful - thank you for capturing not only the image media but the sensitivity of the story - god bless you.

There is something so sad as well as joyful about any immigrants journey from their birth place and travelling to the other side of the world. My experience was very different to the Italian one but also very similar it’s the leaving of all that’s familiar and the ever present feeling of being alone going to the unknown.

What a nice story dedicate di to the Italian Pioneers , those that Made the long journey before and after WW2 . My father first cousin migrated in 1922 and after he got his own family here, in Myrtleford Victoria he started getting his brothers to migrate . After ww2 My father migrated in 1950 and settled in Wangaratta working at a textile factory. My mother ,my older brother and I came in 1962 and my oldest brother came in 1967 . All three of us brothers worked at both textile factories. Whilst my second oldest brother was called up in the army and then settled in Sydney's north shore afterwords , my oldest brother and I stayed and worked a the textile factory . During that time I spent most of time as a textile Union representative progressing to the presidency of the Victorian branch of the Union . Wangaratta situated in the North east of Victoria has a very proud history of Italian migration along with the sourrending areas in the Ovens, King and Kiewa valleys once known as tobacco growing areas, now turned into wine growing has had several thousands Italian migrants that has highly contributed to the prosperity of the entire region . Now the second third and in some cases fourth generations are continuing to contribute to the growth and prosperity of this great region.

As a grandchild of those who migrated here in the 1950s I appreciate and respect this! My husband's family also migrated the same time as mine. All hard workers, all coped racism and all struggled to survive!! But they made it!! My husband and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them migrating and making a better life for themselves!! God bless all those who have to leave their homes to make a new home in a different country. ❤

What a great video

Lovely...makes me think of the sacrifices my mum and dad made 😢

I just saw my dad as a young boy in these photos😘

The italians brought life to Australia. We can't thank them enough. The worked terribly hard and respected the land and its people to make it what it is today. We love and thank you.

Such a beautifully told story of early migration. I can relate to that. The music was very appropriate. The whole video brought tears to my eyes remembering those early days in Australia. Thank you so much for telling the story.

Croatians have a very similar story . Many escaped communism and their ethnic identity was denied by the Australian government .They were called ' Yugoslavs ' Any one who called themselves a Croatian was labelled a Nazi and a fascist . So many tragic and sad stories and graves in far away Australian cities and town. RIP 🌹

All Italian families that have migrated tell similar stories. Well done, you have made your family proud. I too am also proud of my Italian heritage and how it has shaped this country.

A very beautiful and moving documentary! Tanti auguri e belle cose per te e tutta la famiglia!

Brought a tear to my eyes, well done... beautiful!

WOW, what a special video. I can see my parents, uncles and aunties in these photo's. What a beautiful tribute, you should be commended and we should all make a similar video to show our kids. Bravo

i started school 1953 at brunswick ,vic, there was 48 kids in our class , me & another boy called clifford were the only 2 who spoke english & understood what our teacher was saying ! the post ww2 migrant program was difficult for everyone but my mind says that those school teachers of the time were the absolute hero,s !

Amazing! Thank you so much

beautiful thank you xx

Had your grandparents stayed in Italy they would have succeeded in getting a better quality of life without being subjected to the unspeakable humiliation and soul destroying treatment that they had received from the Australian people. 😢 my original family remained in Italy and they’re enjoying an excellent lifestyle without the enormous sacrifices your grandparents and I had to endure to survive in this country.

WE CAME ,WE SAW,WE CONCRETED.CIAO

Well done with this account.

The war, the desperation of a nation after a war that should not have happened, forcing a. Bleeding nation to emigrate against their Will, i have written a book of those years, the forced immigration that divided the country and its inhabitants. Swindling them , and to be swindled. To the best offerers. That money could buy all over the World , a sad proportion of human sacrifice that history once again tells the Story of human sacrifice in a new redemptive rapresentation, this is another of those stories that Will leave its Mark😢on the generation that lived it, it is all written in my book ( sons of another. Generation ) only in italian. Wish the best to all

Winnie Wallace..Family is everything.These Italians prove this . A beautiful story told. Now I need to go and dry my eyes.

I think I've got something in my eye. No, but really, we all have a similar family story. Thank you so much for sharing yours.

This definitely resonates with so many Italian migrants at the time. My mum came here is 1954 a 13 yr old girl on her own to live with her aunty for a better life... or so my nonni thought! Anyway her struggles and sacrifices are why we are all here and have had opportunities that more of her family in Italy have not had. Thanks for the video.... the photo in the sewing workplace where was that taken? One of the women look like my mother.

I enjoyed this very much and the music was wonderful! Thank ou for sharing.

makes me feel pretty sad, i know the reasons my parents left their parents to come here, the reason was for a better life... of what they thought, i know the pain and depression my grandparents had their children leaving them.

wow superb story

Loved this, thankyou so much.

Hello @gwapsejnr - I'm researching Italian immigrants especially the cane cutters. Are these photos your own families collection? I'm k=looking for images to publish (community editorial)

Excellent video well presented and touching. I can relate to this!

Touching !

Video Bellissimo...grazie di aver fatto questo per gli italiani!

Wow Very powerful

My father came out here to Sydney from Southern Europe in 1952. He was dirt poor and illiterate, left behind a wife and 6 kids. After just 2 years he had a house and 2 jobs. Mum joined him here after 2 years. He said there was so much work available because the Real Aussies were all Alcoholics ,unreliable and lazy.

Just beautiful.

Hard working entrepreneurial people.

Beautiful video

This is a beautiful dedication to your family. Are all of the photos of your family or taken from another source?

Well done, us wogs can all relate to similar to this

Bellissimo! Struggle and sacrifices but at the end make life worth living

the dramatic music made me giggle LMAOOOO

I have sent the link to my daughter to show the grand children.

Lovely

bellissimo documentario

7:56 So beautiful! 🥲

We’ll never see this again, those that come here to Australia today, Bludge On The Taxpayers, with no Intention to work Ever!!))

loved the Italian sausage very nice

sounds like a skill issue to me.

I feel so sorry you! It must have been hard with all the war and conflict. For every like this comment gets, that’s one person that supports you too! 👍

L bozo no grandfather skill issue + out of my league

I hope a lot of former Fascists made it do Australia there wasn't much future for them back in Italy post 1945. A greeting to all ex Fascists and their descendants!