| Australia, a melting pot of nations and traditions, is paying tribute to migrants. I vividly remember strolling for the first time through the colourful shops and bars, so full of life, in Sydney’s George Street. I had the impression of being in the midst of bustling streets in Hong Kong or some other Asian metropolis. When I was staying at a backpackers’ hangout in Bondi beach, I could occasionally hear the Russian language or catch a glimpse of people in yarmulke. Every day in Newtown with much affection I look at the old fish 'n' chips shops established in the sixties by the immigrants from the Mediterranean and the older ladies clad in black hobbling to the Greek Church.
Even a brief visit to Sydney can unveil the extremely multidimensional ethnic background of the modern Australian nation - the face of Australia, which is constantly changing and evolving. The face which no longer has Anglo features of the first settlers but is represented by nearly all the races in the world.
In tribute to the people who have migrated from countries around the world to live in Australia, Australian National Maritime Museum in the Darling Harbour has launched a Welcome Wall project. It is based on the idea of recording the names of immigrant on the Wall, which is located on the northern boundary of the Museum facing Pyrmont Bay, where many of Australia’s migrants arrived.
The names appear in the order in which they have been received. Along with the names are quotes taken from books and journals recording people’s migrant experiences and their feelings on arrival in Australia.
Information about a migrant named on the Wall, including date of arrival, port of arrival, occupation etc is recorded in a database which is publicly available on touchscreens at the Museum and on the National Maritime Museum website -
www.anmm.gov.au/ww
Facts and figures about Welcome Wall
According to ANMM, six million people have migrated to Australia. The Welcome Wall is big enough to take 30,000 names. In all, it’s 100 metres long and 2.8 metres tall.
Approximately 17,093 names have already been inscribed on the Welcome Wall.
The wall was first unveiled in January 1999. The earliest registered arrival is 16 November 1629. Wouter LOOS and Jan PELGROM de BY were Mutineers on the Dutch East India Company ship Batavia. Loos and Pelgrom de By were marooned by the ship’s Commander, Franscisco Pelsaert, near the mouth of Wittecarra Creek on the western coast of Australia. They were the first documented, if involuntary, settlers of European origin in Australia.
Every six months, usually in autumn and spring, an unveiling ceremony is held to commemorate the migrants whose names have been newly inscribed onto the Welcome Wall.
Out of 132 countries, the top 10 most frequently listed representatives are from:
1. England – 4426
2. Italy – 2229
3. Ireland + Nth Ireland – 1085
4. Scotland – 1059
5. Netherlands – 1054
6. Germany – 950
7. Greece – 710
8. Poland – 447
9. Malta – 347
10. Hungary – 330
Other countries of origin include: Fiji, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Peru, Tanzania, Croatia, Turkey, USA, Uruguay, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine and Russia.
If you would like to find out more about Polish settlement in Australia and locate the Polish migrants’ names you can do it by entering to the above mentioned website and going into advanced search.
Everyone can propose names for inscription on the Welcome Wall. You can submit your own name if you were not born here, or register the names of your parents, relatives, friends or ancestors who migrated to Australia.
The two pictures were both taken at unveiling ceremonies.
Photos, Statists and facts provided by the ANMM. |
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