Share your story, read about other migrants’ memories and explore our photos – to see if you recognise someone you know. Between 1946 and 1999 government photographers snapped 22,000 images of people arriving and living in Australia. You can view them online in the National Archives’ collection.
Explore the collection
Pages
Video portraits
Browse videos- Series: Dutch Australia Shared Cultural Heritage
Cees, Ina and Erwin Huig, Dutch migrants to Australia - Series: Dutch Australia Shared Cultural Heritage
Gerard and Marretje van Wezel, Dutch migrants to Australia - Series: Dutch Australia Shared Cultural Heritage
Sherry Wright, Dutch migrant to Australia - Series: Dutch Australia Shared Cultural Heritage
Petronella Wensing, Dutch migrant to Australia - Series: Dutch Australia Shared Cultural Heritage
Stephanie Brantz, Dutch migrant heritage - Series: A Ticket to Paradise? Exhibition
Vera Marek - Series: A Ticket to Paradise? Exhibition
Seraphin Nyirenda - Series: A Ticket to Paradise? Exhibition
Maria-Lourdes (Noonee) Doronila - Series: A Ticket to Paradise? Exhibition
Lam Tac Tam
Personal stories
Add Your Own Story
NetherlandsAfter a half a year my friend decided to move to another place and I had to decide what to do, st
ItalyWhen they first arrived in Melbourne, Mum and her family lived in North Essendon for a short time
GreeceThe selection officer who interviewed Vassiliki Daflou in Athens described her as ‘just an averag
LatviaOtto Kampe, the 250,000th refugee to arrive in Australia post-World War II, landed with his wife
United Kingdom(Mitchell Librarian 1993-2001, Associate Director State Records NSW 2001-2008 and Director State
ItalyDad got work on a market garden in St Ives owned by fellow Aeolian migrants, Sam and Fay Fraumeni
AustraliaMum and Dad have achieved so much in their lives, but nothing bought them as much joy as their am
NetherlandsMy first job was at a car yard cleaning cars and so.
GermanyFather had to keep an appointment with a government official who would oversee his contract.
ItalyThe Bellomarinos were considered a ‘very good family group’ by their interviewing immigration off
AustraliaDad and Mum met on Australia Day 1965, just after Dad had come back from Frankston beach with his
NetherlandsIn 1955 at eight years old my parents told me we were going to move to Australia.
United Kingdom(Mitchell Librarian 1993-2001, Associate Director State Records NSW 2001-2008 and Director State
NetherlandsIt all began when I was at secondary school where I had to do a project on one of the continents.
LuxembourgThe main kitchen was huge, next to the kitchen, in a shed was a giant steam producing machine, th
NetherlandsMigrants who had won beauty pageant titles were the perfect models for promotional photographs ta
United KingdomI picked 1970 as this when I was just 15 and left Aus reluctantly but keen to see me mum brothers
United KingdomMy uncle, James Hadley with his wife Maisie (nee Lambert) and their two children, Jaimmy and Jenn
