Port to port
Did you migrate to Australia by ship? Relive the memories of your journey with a range of activities inspired by post war Australian migration.
Playlist
Listen to a selection of songs from the 1930s to the 1970s inspired by travel, journeys and the emotions of leaving and finding home.
Image slideshow
Download images from Museums Victoria’s collection documenting the experience of post war migrants arriving to Australia by boat in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.
Trivia
Test your general knowledge on questions relating to post-war migration to Victoria.
Other activity suggestions
Research the ship you travelled on
Learn more about some of the Australian passenger ships from the 1940s–70s such as the Fairsea, Castel Felice and Orcades on the Immigration Museum’s Journeys to Australia website.
Play games
Play games that were popular on deck such as quoits or shuffleboard.
Did you Migrate to Australia from Italy?
After World War II Italian immigration to Australia increased dramatically, and by 1971 there was 121,000 Italian-born Victorians. Italians are still the fifth-largest immigrant community in Victoria after the English community.
Did you grow up in an Italian household, with an abundant vegetable garden and close knit community? Relive memories from home with a range of activities focusing on the experience of Italian migrants in Melbourne.
Spotify playlist
Listen to a selection of popular Italian songs from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Trivia
Test your general knowledge on questions inspired by the post-war Italian migrant experience.
Other activity suggestions
Cooking
Cook a traditional Italian meal such as pasta with ‘Muddica palermintana’ (seasoned breadcrumbs):
Ingredients
- 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons sugar or to taste
- 450g cooked spaghetti
- fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
- anchovy fillets minced (optional)
Method
Toast the breadcrumbs in a skillet on low heat with sugar until light brown, keep mixing well about 4 min and remove. Heat oil in a skillet; add anchovies if desired, parsley and minced garlic for 2 min. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with breadcrumbs and serve over pasta.
This recipe is typically served on the Feast of St. Joseph. It's a simple Sicilian dish. Also served on Good Friday; some Sicilians add a little tomato paste to the skillet.
Virtual trip to Italy
Travel to Italy from the comfort of your couch with a range of virtual tours offered online for free. Simply search “Virtual tour of Italy” in your browser to discover a range of online experiences.
Italian games
If you have access to a Bocce set or a deck of Scopa cards pull them out and have a play.
Italian cinema
Watch a classic Italian film such as La Dolce Vita (Federico Fellini, 1960), Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, 1948), Rome, Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945), Rocco and His Brothers (Luchino Visconti, 1960) to name a few.
Italian literature
Get your hands on some Italian literature from prominent authors such as Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, Dante Alighieri, Alberto Moravia, Elena Ferrante, Primo Levi to name a few.