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
NetherlandsIn 1955 at eight years old my parents told me we were going to move to Australia.
GermanyFather had to keep an appointment with a government official who would oversee his contract.
United Kingdom(Mitchell Librarian 1993-2001, Associate Director State Records NSW 2001-2008 and Director State
VietnamIn April 1975, a large scale evacuation of children took place in Vietnam, sending thousands of c
NetherlandsLike many new arrivals, Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre was the Wolswinkels' firs
AustraliaIn their new home, they planted lots of fruit trees and vegetable plants and lived off the garden
United KingdomI arrived at the hostel late afternoon it was getting cooler and after London it was as different
AustraliaThe following day I was given a very lengthy series of tests in maths, English, solving problems,
NetherlandsAs promotion for the Australian government’s migration programs, much was made of milestone arriv
GermanyMy parents, Johannes (John) and Elisabeth (Lisa) had applied to emigrate to Venezuela and to Aust
AustraliaMum and Dad have achieved so much in their lives, but nothing bought them as much joy as their am
GermanyOn our arrival in Australia, my mother Lisa's only language was German.
GermanyAs a teenager, seventeen at my last birthday, I had my own cabin aboard.
United Kingdom(Mitchell Librarian 1993-2001, Associate Director State Records NSW 2001-2008 and Director State
LuxembourgWe were loaded into Buses, it took more than two hours to arrive in Villawood hostel, some houses
NetherlandsBy the 1960s the Immigration Department’s publicity campaign to attract migrants to Australia was
