Immigration

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The White Australia Policy - 33 m Looks into the White Australia Policy, which was enacted by the first Bill to pass before a Federal Australian Government. It determined which nationalities and races of people could migrate to Australia, and played a major part in shaping the makeup of this country's population during the 20th century.

Australian Migration (1945 Onwards) - Post WWII 15 m Using a combination of archival footage and dramatic sequences, the program focuses on the rise of multi-culturalism throughout the 1950’s and 60’s and the many nationalities which are present in modern Australia. The final two segments look at the Italian and Vietnamese migrant experiences and how their respective cultures influence Australia today.

The Development of Multiculturalism in Australia 21 m Australia has come a long way since its anti-migrant 'White Australia Policy'. The history of multiculturalism in Australia is an interesting journey that has not been without its controversies.

Websites

Immigration Museum - Melbourne - The Immigration Museum explores the stories of real people from all over the world who have migrated to Victoria.

Changing Face of Australia - 1950s - 1970s - After the Second World War (1939–45) the Australian government committed to a vigorous and sustained immigration program.

Ten Pound Poms - The “Ten Pound Pom” scheme is the colloquial name for an assisted migration scheme that operated in Australia after World War II. In spite of its name, this scheme was not limited to those from the United Kingdom but was open to citizens of all Commonwealth countries.

1940s–60s: A Journey for Many - The outbreak of World War II closed Australian ports to immigration. At the end of the war, hundreds of thousands of displaced people from Eastern Europe needed somewhere to go. Others, especially Britons, were keen to make a fresh start.

Snowy Mountains Scheme - History - As a means of offsetting the disastrous effects of droughts, the concept of diverting water from some of Australia’s best-known rivers – the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Snowy and Tumut Rivers – dates back as far as the 1880s. However, it was not until 1944 that a committee of Commonwealth and State representatives was formed to examine, from a broad, national viewpoint, the development of the water resources of the Snowy Mountains area.

Snowy Mountains Scheme - The People - Many migrants were escaping the horror of war-torn Europe to begin a new life in a new land. Working together on the Scheme, they became part of the Snowy family with former enemies and allies working side by side.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme - Birthplace of Multiculturalism in Australia - The Scheme absorbed many of the migrants who were arriving in Australia in response to the Commonwealth Government's Immigration Scheme in the post-war years. Overall, 100,000 people worked on the Scheme's construction between 1949 and 1974 two-thirds of them migrant workers. The workforce reached a peak of 7,300 in 1959.

Displaced Persons & Assisted Immigrants - Between 1945 and 1965 more than two million migrants came to Australia. ‘Populate or perish’ became the catchcry, as the Australian Government embarked on an intensive international promotional campaign to encourage migration to Australia.

End of the White Australia Policy - 1966: Holt government effectively dismantles White Australia policy