Meet Antonio Cunial and see the barber’s tools he brought from Italy in 1948. Continue reading
Blog Archives
Meet Concetta Cosentino and see her cup and saucer from Italy.
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Meet Eufemia Benussi and see the potato masher she brought over from Italy in 1955. Continue reading
Meet Gina Bortolin-Papa and see her woollen healing scarf.
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This collection of implements have historical and technological significance as they demonstrate the skills of ‘making do’ – improvising and modifying tools to make the heavy work of cultivating bananas easier. Continue reading
This cane stripper has historical and technological significance in that it demonstrates the the hard manual labour involved in planting, cutting and loading sugar cane before mechanisation of the sugar industry, first of planting and loading sugar cane and later of harvesting the crop.
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The cane knife is historically significant as evidence of the manual labour of the many South Sea Islanders, Indians and migrants from Europe who were the backbone of the sugar industry in northern NSW. Continue reading
Syrup dispenser and Cash register from the Tweed Fruit Exchange, Murwillumbah. Continue reading
!["The house [at Corbie Hill] didn’t have electricity, a bathroom or hot running water. I used this big pasta saucepan from Italy to boil water to bath the kids. It turned out to be the best thing I could have bought. I lost the handles because I used it so much, so I found some wire and made some handles myself. "](../../../../cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/saucepan-150x150.jpg)
Meet Domenica Artese and see the pasta saucepan from Italy she used to make bathwater for her kids when they arrived in Australia in 1955. Continue reading
Meet Franca Arena and see her letter from an Australian official in 1959. Franca was asked to give English lessons to Italian passengers on her boat to Australia. Continue reading
Discover the collection of objects from the German and Austrian refugees who transported to Australia on the SS Dunera and were later interred at Hay internment camp during World War II. Continue reading
Discover the diaries of Federico Bonisoli documenting his internment during World War II. The diaries Include Internment diaries (in Italian dated 1940-1944, letters in English received from his niece Maria Bonisoli and nephew Attilio Bonisoli between 1940-1943, a photograph of Federico Bonisoli, c.1939. and a letter in Italian to Felice Bonisoli from Rev. Professor M.F. Toal, an ex-internee of Loveday Camp dated 13 September 1956. Continue reading
The poster has historic value as evidence of post World War 2 mass migration and the attempt by the Australian government to build the nation’s population with European migrants. Continue reading
This stove is of historic significance as a symbol of achievement, reflecting a high point in the early struggles of an economically impoverished migrant family from the Griffith area. Continue reading
This army kit is of historic significance as the evidence of a strong emotional bond with the Alpini army corps. Continue reading
The carrot washer has high social significance to the Italian community of the Griffith area as a significant piece of industrial heritage of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area Continue reading
This clothing collection from Griffith is of historic significance as a transfer of habits of dress from the Italian village to Australia. Continue reading
This tea chest cupboard from Griffith is of historic significance as an improvised craft, reflecting the resourcefulness of economically impoverished migrant families. Continue reading
The bedroom chest and kitchen knives are examples of craft improvised in Australia by Italian men. It is significant to Italian families as evidence and a reminder of hard times as Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area pioneers. Continue reading
Life on the land was tough in the 1930s and many had to make do with what they could recycle as evidenced by the Bush Furniture Collection made from packing boxes by Angelo Dal Santo of Griffith. Continue reading
This quilt has historical significance as one of the first Italian quilts to be documented in Australia. Continue reading
Discover the record collection of the Griffith Continental Music Club that featured members such as Al Grassby who was the Club’s early radio announcer. Continue reading
The tokens are a significant marker of a comparatively short historical phase of liquor licensing laws and of the colourful role of Italian social clubs important to Griffith Italian life. Continue reading
These tools of trade of Virginio Davi, who was a boot maker in Griffith in the early 1950s, are historically significant as evidence of a cottage trade transferred to Australia. Continue reading
This collection of knitting machines and tools is of historic significance as a family craft of the Griffith area handed down from mother to daughter, that may be traced back to a sixteenth century tradition in Northern Italy. Continue reading
The coins have historic value as evidence of the events that surround the internment of POWs in Australia in World War 2 and the experience of the refugees and POWs life at the Hay POW camp. Continue reading
Discover the NSW Trades Hall Union Banner Collection. Continue reading
Discover the grape press from Griffith that was used by the local community to extract juice from grapes to make wine c.1950s. Continue reading
Discover the Grappa making still from Griffith that was used by the local community to distil spirits from discarded grape skins c.1950s. Continue reading
The Lady of Loreto statue has social significance to the Italian community at Griffith as an item of Catholic devotion. Continue reading
