Projects: Current

From Western Sydney to rural and regional New South Wales, we're working with communities across this State! The Centre has five staff - John Petersen, Manager; Andrea Fernandes, Project Officer; Stephen Thompson, Movable Heritage Officer; Leah Domanski, part-time Administrative Assistant, and Annette Loudon, our part-time Website Coordinator.

Here are some of the team's current projects researched in partnership with a broad network of community, government, educational and cultural organisations.

 

Macedonian Aprons - Hidden Treasure

A new NSW Migration Heritage Centre project, in partnership with the Port Kembla Macedonian Welfare Association Inc., with advice from heritage consultant Meredith Walker and the Illawarra Migration Heritage Project Inc., will do a "search" for old Macedonian aprons in the Illawarra region.

» Project details

 

Belongings: Post-WW2 Memories Of Migration

The post-World War Two migration wave is an important era in Australia's history. In Belongings, former migrants share their experiences through personal mementos, photographs and memories.

Online exhibition recording and documenting the memories of former migrants across New South Wales and their family collections

» View exhibition
» Project details

 

Community Stories

Community Stories supports the wishes of ageing Holocaust survivors who would like their life story to be written. For most of these Jewish migrants, English is not their first language.

Read the memoirs of ageing Holocaust survivors in 'Lives Lost, Life Regained'

» Project details

 

The Dreadnought Boys and Migrant Reception Centre at Scheyville

English boys were trained as Australian farmhands at Scheyville, an hour north-west of Sydney, under the Dreadnought Scheme. After the Second World War, Scheyville National Park was the first Australian home for thousands of migrants from 1949 to 1964.

Photographic display and booklet to promote Scheyville National Park as a migration heritage destination. A virtual display is now online.

» Project details

 

Exploring Lebanese Heritage in NSW

The Lebanese are one of the largest and oldest migrant communities in NSW. A new Australian Lebanese Historical Society study, supported by the NSW Migration Heritage Centre and the Heritage Incentives Program, is highlighting the migration story of those who came to Australia and the contribution of Lebanese communities to our multilayered heritage.

» Project details

 

Fairbridge Heritage Project

The Fairbridge organisation operated a Farm School for underprivileged British child migrants near Molong from 1938 until 1974. About 1000 boys and girls passed through and were trained as "farmers and farmers' wives".

This project with the Fairbridge Heritage Association includes oral and filmed histories of former child migrants, movable heritage identification, a CD Rom of place documentation and it has produced a major new book. The Centre will produce an exhibition and catalogue.

» Project details

 

Fishing The Georges River: South-West Sydney

Fishing is a popular and democratic recreational activity for many Australians. The migration experiences, history and heritage legacies of various community groups are explored through this project.

Hear personal accounts of former Vietnamese refugees and migrants and their memories of escape and making new homes in Sydney's south-west.

Research project informing online exhibition, 'Gold and Silver'

» Project details

 

From The Back Blocks To The Front Lines

This new exhibition features photographs and memories of early Italian settlers and their families through active participation with the local Italian community.

A new travelling exhibition by Co.As.It. Italian Heritage - an online version will follow on the Migration Heritage Centre website. View family items and histories on the Belongings website

» Project details

 

From Estonia to Thirlmere

In the 1930s, a small group of Estonians set up poultry farms near Thirlmere, about an hour south-west of Sydney, to establish a core which still survives today, now surrounded by some 60 farms. Many of the farmers and labourers are associated with the major wave of post-Second World War migration and, in particular, the Estonian community.


» Project details

 

Fruit Of Our Labour: Italians At Griffith - Riverina

Griffith's first Italian settlers arrived in 1913. By 1933, one tenth of orchards were owned and managed by Italians and by 1954 at least half. After the Second World War, Griffith's Italian business interests helped create the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area as a nationally important place for growing and processing rice, grapes and citrus and stone fruits.

Study and workshops supporting Griffith Italian Museum and Cultural Centre exhibitions, heritage trails and other regional tourism initiatives.

» Project details

 

Germantowns, Germanstories: Riverina

In 1858 the Riverina town of Holbrook was locally known as 'the Germans' and its name was officially changed to 'Germantown' in 1876. The Riverina's German communities grew and prospered in the late 19th and early 20th centuries via the local wool and agricultural industries - before enduring wartime persecution. Discover the region's history of German settlement through fascinating objects.

Study to assess the significance of regional collections and inform future Museum of the Riverina exhibitions. Statements of cultural heritage significance are now online.

» Project details

 

Investigating The Migration Heritage Of Wollongong

The Migration Heritage Centre is working with the Illawarra Migration Heritage Project Inc. on the illustrated community history booklet Investigating the Migration Heritage of Wollongong. Assisted by heritage consultant Meredith Walker, the booklet reflects local knowledge gathered at community workshops with former migrants.

» Project details

 

Meie uus kodu - Our new home

Meie uus kodu - Our new home will look at the plight of the 80,000 Estonians who escaped to the West between 1940 and 1944. Homes were abandoned and families separated forever as some fled and others chose to stay.

Many Estonians took up poultry farming, orcharding, canning or pickling at Thirlmere. Others congregated in urban areas such as Cabramatta. Sizeable communities also formed in Newcastle, Canberra and Wollongong.

Exhibition now at the Australian Communities Gallery, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

» Project details

 

Migration Heritage of the Orange District

Following the Second World War, many migrants from Europe made their home in Orange, transforming the economy, culture and landscape of the city. Many worked in the Email whitegoods factory and some were housed in the infamous 'tent city' next door to the factory.

Study of migration heritage places, family collections and associated memories in the Orange region. View family items and histories on the Belongings website
» Project details

 

Migration History Project: Liverpool, Western Sydney

From First Fleet Colonial Europeans to the end of the infamous 'White Australia' policy, this project explores all waves of settlement in the Liverpool City local government area.

Study and workshops supporting Liverpool City's heritage collections, exhibitions, heritage trails and regional tourism initiatives.

» Project details

 

Moving To The Tweed

Memories of migrating to Tweed Shire before the 1970s are explored, with particular focus on South Sea Islander, Chinese, Italian and Sikh communities and post-Second World War arrivals.

Heritage study of migration heritage places, family collections and associated memories in the Tweed region.

» Project details

 

New England Immigrants

This community heritage study is working with local museums, historical societies, residents, local government and heritage advisors on the New England tablelands to research and present a thematic history of the presence and contributions of Australians from non-English-speaking backgrounds in the region.

The project is supported by the NSW Migration Heritage Centre, the Heritage Office in the Department of Planning (NSW), and the School of Humanities at the University of New England.

» Project detail

 

Objects Through Time

Objects through Time takes you on an online journey to explore important chapters, places and events in Australian migration history and discover the people who have shaped New South Wales' culture and society.

Online exhibition to showcase New South Wales' migration collections and assess their cultural heritage significance

» Project details

 

A Place For The Friendless Female: Sydney's Female Immigration Depot

The Migration Heritage Centre is supporting the Hyde Park Barracks Museum's initiatives to raise the Barrack's profile as a significant heritage site associated with 19th century female immigration to Australia.

A new Historic Houses Trust of NSW exhibition at the Hyde Park Barracks Museum. View an online version on the Migration Heritage Centre's website and buy an interpretative brochure at the Barracks.

» Project details

 

Pai Nai Ma: Thai-Australian Experiences

From the Loy Krathong festival to Buddhist temples, Thai culture has become a part of the Parramatta and wider Australian story. Reflected in this exhibition are experiences of living in Thailand, migration to Australia and contemporary life from the Thai-Australian perspective.

Online exhibition will be on the Migration Heritage Centre website soon.
» Project details

 

Sharing The Lode: The Broken Hill Migrant Story

From Afghan cameleers to Filipino book-keepers, this is the story of Broken Hill's non-English speaking migrants; people who arrived in a harsh and alien outback mining town and chose to call it home. Meet 'Bundle Mary' and other people from Broken Hills migration history.

Visit Broken Hill and see the exhibition there or read the book - an online version of the exhibition is now on the Migration Heritage Centre website.
» Project details

 

Trial Bay Gaol, South West Rocks

Trial Bay Gaol is now part of picturesque Arakoon State Conservation Area near South West Rocks on the NSW north coast. During the First World War, many men of German descent were put under surveillance or interned at Trial Bay Gaol, Berrima Gaol or Holsworthy Military Camp at Liverpool. Women and children were rounded up at Bourke and sent to a camp at Molongolo.

Illustrated history on German internment and booklet promoting Trial Bay Gaol as a regional tourist destination

» Project details

 

Wollongong's Migration Heritage Places

A new heritage study will investigate the impact post- Second World War migration has had upon the development of the City of Wollongong. It will investigate the themes of places of accommodation, worship, women's work and Wollongong Harbour.

A study to identify, document and assess migration heritage places in Wollongong. An Illawarra Migration Heritage Project Inc project in collaboration with the NSW Migration Heritage Centre, Wollongong City Council and the Heritage Office, Department of Planning (NSW).

» Project details