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
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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
NetherlandsHenk Wolswinkel, the youngest of 13 Wolswinkel children, boarded the Dutch migrant ship Johan van
GermanyDad and a mate worked hard on the side, cutting timber, breaking coal, anything, to earn a few ex
United KingdomAustralia’s post-war immigration publicity campaign was in full swing by 1955.
NetherlandsCornelia Grosveld and Antonius Meerbach married in Roosendaal in the Netherlands just after the o
AustraliaIn their new home, they planted lots of fruit trees and vegetable plants and lived off the garden
Czech RepublicThe Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968 ended a period of democratic reform and led to an
ItalyMario Cerasani was born on 9 June 1930 in San Benedetto dei Marsi in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
AustraliaAs I reflect on Mum and Dad's life, I think of my own life and how I am who I am because of these
GermanyThey sailed on 9.12.54 on the SS Skaubryn and Christmas was celebrated on the Red Sea.
AustraliaConstruction began on the Snowy Hydro Electric Scheme on 17 October 1949.
EgyptThe Egyptian ship SS Misr arrived in Melbourne in April 1947 with 624 men, women and chi
NetherlandsJan and Nieske Hoogenhout became well-known and liked locally when they opened their bakery in Sh
United KingdomArriving from England in March 1964, my wife and I settled in Melbourne.
NetherlandsThis is writtrn in memory of my father and mother.In the year 1945 we had been through a war and
ItalyMy grandfather, Onofio, had come to Sydney, Australia, in 1904 with two of his brothers.
JapanImmediately following World War II, the Japanese brides of Australian servicemen were precluded f
PolandI, Marianna Konovalov and my husband Vladimir came to Australia as migrants in 1949.
NetherlandsLike many new arrivals, Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre was the Wolswinkels' firs
