Greek Cultural Association - about us

Location: Hellenic Art Theatre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville, Building No.36

Contact: Stavros Economidis tel. 0408 171 417

General history of Greek contribution to Australian society

Although Greece did not come into being as a modern state until the 19th century, its history stretches back thousands of years. In the 1st millennium BCE, ancient Greek city-states led by Athens made tremendous advances in government, philosophy and the arts.

The first significant stream of Greek migration began in the 1850s as a result of the discovery of gold in NSW and Victoria.

From the last decade of the 19th century until WW I the number of Greeks coming to Australia increased steadily and communities were reasonably well established in Melbourne and Sydney. The Greek language press began in Australia and in 1913 Australia, the first Greek weekly newspaper, was published in Melbourne.

During the interwar period, the number of Greeks arriving in Australia increased substantially.

The Greek government encouraged post-war migration as a way of solving poverty and unemployment problems, with the most favoured destination being West Germany although large numbers also went to Australia and Canada. Migration of Greeks to Australia was now occurring on a much larger scale and between 1947 and the 1980s almost 250,000 Greeks entered Australia in the category of permanent or long-term arrivals.

Greek-born residents of Australia today constitute the second largest non-English speaking population in Australia after the Italians. Community organisations and institutions have been established in all the major cities in Australia dating as far back as 1897 when the first Greek Orthodox Community organisation of Melbourne was established.

Many Greek people living in Australia today belong to a Greek community, cultural, political, educational or professional organisation.

These organisations often actively promote the maintenance, preservation and promotion of Greek culture, language and identity in Australia. These established organisations and institutions form the backbone of the Greek community in Australia and have greatly assisted Greeks in Australia.

The first Greek theatre in Sydney was in production shortly after the end of WW I, with two weekly newspapers starting in 1913 and 1914 in Melbourne and Adelaide. The first Greek-language book was published in Australia in 1916, with one in Sydney in 1920.

In Greek society many families, including extended families, are close, with people caring for their parents as well as their children. The teaching of Greek language and culture occurs at all levels of community life, including Greek bi-lingual state and community schools.

After WW II, Greek restaurants and coffee houses transformed the Australian culinary landscape. Greek cuisine is still a focus of the eating-out experience for Greeks and non-Greeks alike, with restaurants scattered throughout the country. Greek bakeries and delicatessens have proved to be extremely popular with many people living in Australia.

[adapted from outreach group mdaa here]