In the National Library of Australia’s latest exhibition which opened last week, ‘Hopes & Fears: Australian Migration Stories’ showcases how these people have helped to make Australia one of the most diverse nations in the world.
In one of the photos, a hopeful-looking Turkish family of four are huddled together in a migrant hostel at Villawood in the late 1960s.
They were among over 10,000 Turkish migrants who arrived here from 1967 to the early 1970s, according to exhibition curator Dr Karen Schamberger.
“The Turkish arrivals were the start of the official Asian migration who were free settlers and not refugees,” she said.
“They would be among the ancestors of thousands of residents in Bankstown today.”
A first generation Australian herself, Dr Schamberger’s father Werner was an Austrian migrant who lived in Bankstown when he arrived in 1968.
“My godparents were his next door neighbours from Germany and I have many fond memories of holidaying in Bankstown as my parents loved all the multicultural food options, such as the Polish butcher.
“All of these arrivals have definitely shaped Bankstown into the multicultural hub it is today.”
As well as a pictorial showcase, the exhibition features letters to loved ones back home, music recorded by migrants, vintage advertising for boat voyages to Australia and amazing stories like that of William ‘Billy’ Blue, an African American transported to Sydney in 1801 for stealing raw sugar and later appointed by Governor Lachlan Macquarie as harbour watchman.
Other highlights include archival photos of multicultural cafes and chefs who brought the taste of home to migrants in various Australian cities.
Exhibition entry is free, no booking is required or to find out more: nla.gov.au
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