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The Greek-Speaking Community in Australia Arrival and Settlement Greek is one of the world's oldest surviving languages. The modern spoken form is different from the ancient language. However, its roots have been preserved and thousands of words have been incorporated into English. Thousands of Greeks arrived in Australia after the Second World War and most entered the workforce without any English language skills. There were also few subsidised opportunities to learn. Greek Australians have protected and preserved their language and culture, especially within the family and also through strong community organisations. The Greek Language Program was one of the first when SBS Radio began in the mid-1970s. It is believed that the first Greeks to arrive in Australia came as convicts in the late 1820s. Other early arrivals were Greek sailors and refugees from Ottoman rule. The majority spent a short time in Australia before returning to Greece. More Greeks arrived in Australia in the 19th Century during the gold rush. They married outside the Greek culture, many to Irish women and anglicised their names. By 1900 around one thousand Greeks were living in Australia. Towards the end of the 19th century, formal Greek organisations were formed in Sydney and Melbourne. The Orthodox Church was the central focus of the community and schools were established to help preserve language and culture. As the 20th Century progressed, Greek Australians became established members of Australian society. Many achieved success as graziers, farmers and small-business operators in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Thousands of Greeks came to Australia after the Second World War, fleeing a devastated Europe. At that time the journey from war ravaged Europe to Australia took three months. In the 1950s the migration program was assisted by the establishment of a Australian Migration Office in Athens. The most significant wave of Greek migration occurred in the 1960s. According to The Australian People, edited by James Jupp, Australia's Greek-born population almost doubled during the 1960s. Between 1961 and 1966 140,000 Greeks migrated to Australia. By the early 1970s nearly half of the Greek-speaking community of Australia was located in Melbourne. With strong influence on Australia's food service industry and other industries such as construction, real estate, tourism and wine, Greeks and people from a Greek background are now part of the Australian mainstream society prominent in politics, the arts, sport, business and tertiary education. The number of Australian residents speaking Greek at home is over 260,000 according to the 1996 Australian Census. The community also includes a large number of Greek Cypriots. Many of them arrived here as refugees after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Greeks have the highest percentage (97%) of citizenship among Australia's migrant communities. However, migration now has come to a halt and many Greeks are returning to Greece. One of the major concerns for the community in Australia is preservation of the Greek language among the third and fourth generation. Globally, Melbourne is said to have the third-largest Greek-speaking population after Athens and Thessaloniki. Melbourne is also the sister sity of Thessaloniki. Community Contacts Organisations that represent the Greek-speaking community: Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia PO Box 344 Curtin, ACT 2605 Phone:02 6282 5755 Fax: 02 6282 5734 Victoria Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne & Victoria 168 Lonsdale St. Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone 03 9662 2722 Fax 03 9663 3245 Pan Macedonian Association of Melbourne & Victoria 470 Queens Rd. Clifton Hill VIC 3068 Phone 03 9489 3512 SEKA (Cyprian Community organisation) P.O. Box 415 Richmond VIC 3121 Phone 03 9428 0739 Fax 03 9429 2004 Federation of the Aegean Sea Islands PO Box 1505 N Melbourne VIC 3001 APOTHE, Pontiaki Estia 199 Sunshine Rd. West Footscray VIC 3012 Phone 03 9301 1884 Greek Archdiocese of Australia (The Second Archiepiscopal) Dorcas St. South Melbourne VIC 3205 Phone 03 9696 2488 Fax 03 9696 3583 Cypriot Community of Melbourne & Victoria 208 Lygon St. East Brunswick VIC 3057 Phone 03 9388 0970 Australian Greek Society for the Care of the Elderly "Frontida" 94 Spring Rd. Clayton South VIC 3169 Phone 03 9551 8433 Fax 03 9558 1247 Hellenic Youth Federation 1st Floor, 168 Lonsdale St. Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone 03 9326 0950 Fax 03 9375 1500 Cretan Federation of Australia 28 Downs St. West Brunswick VIC 3056 Phone 03 9383 4298 Fax 03 9380 6015 Federation of Pontian Organisations of Australia 316 High St. Northcote VIC 3070 Phone 03 9489 4244 Fax 03 9482 2849 Pammessinian Organisations of Melbourne & Victoria P.O. Box 3207 GG Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone 03 9510 2692 Association of Greek Elderly Citizens Clubs of Melbourne & Australia Australian Greek Welfare Society 7 Union St. Brunswick VIC 3056 Phone 03 9388 9998 Fax 03 9388 9992 Australian Greek Association for People with Disabilities P.O. Box 66 Northcote VIC 3070 Phone 03 9416 9768 Fax 03 9482 2443 New South Wales Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia 242 Cleveland St., Redfern NSW 2016 Phone: 02 9698 5066 Greek Orthodox Community of NSW 206-210 Lakemba St., Lakemba NSW 2195 Phone: 02 9740 6022 Fax: 02 9740 6360 Cyprus Community of NSW 56-76 Stanmore Rd., Stanmore NSW 2048 Ph: 9557 1256 Fax: 02 9516 1679 World Council of Hellenes Abroad 1009 Botany Rd., Mascot NSW 2020 Phone: 02 9667 4733 Fax: 02 9667 2860 Australian Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (A.H.E.P.A) 65 Regent St., Chippendale NSW Ethnic Communities Council of NSW 221 Cope St., Waterloo NSW 2017 Phone: 02 9319 0288 Fax: 02 9319 4226 Tasmania Greek Welfare Centre, Hobart PO Box 807 Sandy Bay TAS 7006 Greek Orthodox Church and Benevolent Society of St. George 69 Federal St., North Hobart TAS 7002 Phone 03 6234 4618 Centre for Hellenic Cultural Studies 69 Federal St., North Hobart TAS 7002 Phone 03 6234 8808 Lepsiaki Brotherhood of Hobart PO Box 36 North Hobart TAS 7002 "Estia" Festival PO Box 448 North Hobart TAS 7002 Western Australia Hellenic Community of W.A. 2 Parker St., Northbridge WA 6003 Phone 08 9328 5141 Greek Orthodox Community of W.A. 57 Carr St., North Perth WA 6006 Phone 08 9227 6588 Hellenic Association Club of WA Inc 75 Sterling St., Perth WA 6000 Phone 08 9328 6681 Hellenic Association Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA PO Box 350 Francis St., Northbridge WA 6003 Phone 08 9485 0034 Greek Macedonian Association PO Box 225 Inglewood WA 6932 Phone 08 9375 8909 National Union of Greek Australian Students (NUGAS) 105 Circe Circle Dalkeith WA 6009 Phone 08 9386 1592 Hellenic Christian Ladies Union PO Box 252 Northbridge WA 6865 Phone 08 9275 3115 Cyprian Community of WA PO Box 8061 Perth Business Centre Perth WA 6849 Phone 08 9247 3197 Special Events Calendar SBS Radio's Greek Language Program presents special coverage of these community events throughout the year. January 26 Australia Day March 25 Greek National Day March/April Greek Orthodox Easter May Mothers' Day June/September International Athens Summer Festival Mid-June Greece and the Sea Festival, Naval Week October 26 St Demetrios Day. National Day for Thessaloniki October 28 Greek National Day October/November National Days of the major cities and regions of Greece. December 25 Greek Orthodox Christmas Recommended Websites www.ana.gr Athenian News Agency www.hzi.ong/news Hellenic Resources Network www.hri.ong Macedonian Press Agency www.abc.net.au Australian Broadcasting Corporation Online www.hellas.gov.gr Greek Government site |
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