http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Your Questions archive from Immigration Museum en http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/who-were-proxy-brides/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/who-were-proxy-brides/ I have heard the expression Proxy Brides, what does it mean? Question: Who were Proxy brides? Answer: The practice of proxy marriage was common amongst many migrants from southern European countries from the 1920s through to the 1960s – particularly those of Greek and Italian origin in Australia where the single men outnumbered women. This was mainly due to Australian immigration policy, which relied on the recruitment of able-bodied young men for... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/32460/000010123l_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-12-31T13:03:55+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/origins/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/origins/ Why is my country not listed on the Origins website? Question: Why isn’t my country included on the Origins website? Answer: The Origins website currently includes 82 countries from which Victorians originated. These countries were selected on the basis of a Victorian population of 1,100 or more in the 2006 census. Although resources have limited the number of countries included, new countries with smaller Victorian populations will gradually be... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/32069/Origins-3_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-12-17T12:16:49+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/forgotten-australians/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/forgotten-australians/ Who are the Forgotten Australians? Question: Last week was the two-year anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Forgotten Australians? Are there any monuments or other commemorations to this aspect of our history? Answer: There are many monuments around the country that collectively commemorate the ‘Forgotten Australians’. This is a term used for all Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, together with former child migrants,... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/31615/MG_1886---Version-2_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-11-29T12:12:24+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/talking-difference/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/talking-difference/ What is the curious Talking Difference booth? Question: What is the curious booth in the Identity exhibition? Answer: The curious booth in the corner of the first gallery space in the Identity exhibition is the Talking Difference portable studio. Talking Difference is an online media project developed and designed by Museum Victoria’s Public Programs Team at the Immigration Museum and a group of diverse and enthusiastic young people.  The... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/31052/000084494c-38.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-11-07T12:34:31+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/station-pier-toilets/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/station-pier-toilets/ Why do the toilets near Station Pier have ‘Men’ and ‘Ladies’ written in Italian and Greek as well as English? Question: Why do the toilets near Station Pier have ‘Men’ and ‘Ladies’ written in Italian and Greek as well as English? Answer: Almost from the beginning, Station Pier, or Railway Pier as it was known until the early 20th century, has been the main place of entry for immigrants arriving in Victoria. However, it was in the post World War II period (1946 – 1960) that the largest wave of migrants... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/30615/Toilet-1_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-10-23T11:11:45+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/child-migration/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/child-migration/ What information does the Immigration Discovery Centre have about child migration? Question: What information does the Immigration Discovery Centre have about child migration? Answer: The Immigration Museum and the Immigration Discovery Centre (IDC) have a good range of information and resources on this topic, including On their own: Britain's child migrants , a new travelling exhibition opening next week. Developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum in conjunction wi... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/30458/000049913-39_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-10-16T15:43:42+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/belonging-reflections-on-place/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/belonging-reflections-on-place/ What is the new exhibition, Belonging: Reflections on Place, in the Community Gallery all about? Question: What is the new exhibition in the Community Gallery at the Immigration Museum? Answer:  The latest exhibition at the Immigration Museum in the Community Gallery is titled Belonging: Reflections on Place. It is a video installation that explores individual’s ideas of place, transition and belonging. The exhibition is the work of Wendy Woodson in collaboration with Kathy Couch and Myles... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/29888/Your-Question-010_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-09-24T14:37:11+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/on-the-railroad/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/on-the-railroad/ How can I find out about my ancestor's work with Victorian Railways? Question: My great-grandfather was an employee of the Victorian Railways both in Melbourne and Ballarat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Is there somewhere that I can find information about his time there? Answer: There is a wide variety of records from the Victorian Railways held by the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). These include such diverse documents as correspondence,... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/29332/000049555c_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-09-02T14:57:31+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/coffee-lovers-and-museum-victoria/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/coffee-lovers-and-museum-victoria/ What can our collections tell us about the history of coffee drinking? Question: What can Museum Victoria's collections tell us about the history of coffee drinking? Answer: Melbourne has a reputation for being a city of coffee lovers. This is not a new phenomenon, despite what you may think! Melbourne has a long association with coffee – even the earliest settlers probably brought coffee with them. In the late 19th century, coffee "palaces" were promoted as... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/29441/000029774c_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-09-03T16:19:12+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/missing-ancestors/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/missing-ancestors/ Why can't I find my ancestors on Victorian shipping lists? Question: My ancestor arrived in Australia in the early 1850s, settled in Ballarat and worked on the goldfields. I know he was there by 1854 as his first child was born there that year. But I can’t find any record of him arriving in the Public Record Office of Victoria passenger lists. Why is he missing? Answer: There may be several reasons why people who settled in Victoria are missing from th... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/26490/156647_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-06-05T12:26:17+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/postcards-from-the-front/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/postcards-from-the-front/ Can you tell me about these embroidered postcards from WW1? Question: I am trying to find out information about my grandmother’s brothers, who fought in World War 1 and sent home a number of these embroidered postcards from France. How can I find more about these cards and their war service? Answer: The beautiful embroidery on these postcards, very popular during WW1, was produced by French women in their own homes, probably to provide some kind of inco... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/25324/9215_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-04-24T11:35:53+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/reading-matters/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/reading-matters/ What sort of books do we have? Question: Do you have books in the Immigration Discovery Centre to help with my research? Answer: Among our many resources, Immigration Discovery Centre has a dedicated library that covers a wide range of topics related to Immigration Museum’s exhibitions, programs, collections and research. Subjects include family history research, immigration history and the cultures of communities in Victori... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/24631/P4100006_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-04-10T14:03:15+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/ship-to-shore/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/ship-to-shore/ Where did immigrants land in Melbourne before Station Pier? Question: Where did ships coming into Melbourne land before Station Pier was built? Answer: Before Station Pier and the railway line into the centre of Melbourne were completed in 1854, immigrant ships simply anchored in Hobson’s Bay. Passengers from the ship, along with their luggage, were then ferried in small boats from the ship to the nearby shore. Some were able to take the steam ferry, up... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/23835/MM001140-153475-YQ_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-03-25T17:07:39+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/british-subjects--australian-citizenship/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/british-subjects--australian-citizenship/ Did British subjects automatically become Australian citizens? Question: My husband was a baby when he came to Australia in 1951 as a 10 Pound Pom. He has lived here all his life and never left the country. We are trying to find out if he is considered an Australian citizen. Do you know if this was automatic in 1951? Answer: In the years immediately after WW2, in order to increase both national productivity and boost our defence capabilities, the Australia... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/23473/HT23830-373577-web.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-03-07T17:21:00+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/a-new-identity/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/a-new-identity/ A new permanent exhibition is coming soon to Immigration Museum Question: What is happening now that Station pier exhibition has closed at Immigration Museum? Will there be something to replace it? Answer: In March an exciting new exhibition will be opening at Immigration Museum in the galleries that previously housed Station pier . Identity: yours, mine, ours will explore the many facets, such as family, language, culture and religion, that go into making ... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/22054/edval_boa_morte_capoeira.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2011-01-15T10:35:22+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/nineteenth-century-travel/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/nineteenth-century-travel/ How can we find out about ships, travel conditions and other information? Question: I am trying to trace records of my great grandmother, who was a famous English concert pianist and toured the world in the 1870s. She visited Europe, Asia, America and Australia, first coming to Melbourne and then touring many parts of the country. Where can I find more information about the ship that she travelled on, the conditions of travel and information about where she performed... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/21513/ss%20potosi.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-12-22T12:02:13+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/bonegilla/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/bonegilla/ Discovery Centre staff visit the relaunched Bonegilla Migrant Camp. Question: What has been happening at Block 19, Bonegilla? Answer: Between 1947 and 1971, more than 300,000 migrants from over 50 countries called Bonegilla their first Australian home. Some stayed only a few days, and others months; some relished the experience, and others questioned their decision to come to Australia. These memories have been commemorated with the heritage listing of... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/19178/thumbnail_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-10-10T13:50:35+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/melbourne-pub-histories/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/melbourne-pub-histories/ How can I find out more about the business that my grandmother ran? Question: My grandmother was licensee of the Federal Club Hotel on Elizabeth Street from 1908 until 1913. How can I find more information about the hotel? Answer: Here are some resources to help start your research into the history of licensed hotels in Melbourne; many are also useful for tracing the history of other businesses. Establish the address of the business first and also use this to... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/17857/MM-039214.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-08-08T11:51:26+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/latvian-loom/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/latvian-loom/ Why isn't it on display anymore? Question: What has happened to the Latvian loom that was in the Timeline Gallery at the Immigration Museum? Answer: The loom that was on display in the Timeline Gallery at the Immigration Museum has been removed to make way for a new immigrant story about a post World War II Italian migrant woman and her knitting machine. Since the Immigration Museum first opened in 1998, the story of Anna Apin... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/17649/000009105l_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-07-25T13:11:39+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/kurds-in-australia1/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/kurds-in-australia1/ Where do Australia's Kurdish people originate from? Question: Where do Australia’s Kurdish migrants come from if the nation of Kurdistan is no longer recognised? Answer: Kurdish people in Australia trace their origins back more than 10,000 years to Kurdistan, an area as large as France, of mountains and wide plains in the northern regions of the Middle East. In the 16th century Kurdistan was divided between the Safavid and Ottoman Empires. Kurdi... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/17342/000832-a-094_Th_web.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-07-11T10:36:44+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/internees-in-australia/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/internees-in-australia/ Do you have any information about the camps in Australia? Question : My father, mother and their parents were of German descent but their families had migrated to Palestine the late 19th century. During WW2 they were declared enemies by the British, who oversaw the area at the time. They were sent an internment camp at Tatura in Victoria. When released they stayed in Australia, eventually becoming naturalised and establishing themselves in Melbourne.... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/16547/awm03016312_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-06-27T15:33:55+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/australian-citizenship/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/australian-citizenship/ What is Australian citizenship? Question : What is Australian citizenship? Answer : The notion of citizenship can be difficult to define, partly because the word itself is widely understood to have at least two meanings. It sometimes refers to a political category; at other times it describes membership of a community. It can also be used to define a generally-accepted mode of social behaviour. While citizenship is not... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/16344/webmediaCAJNJQ3U_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-06-13T14:33:30+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/white-star-line/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/white-star-line/ Was the Titanic the only ship built by White Star Lines? Question: Was the Titanic the only ship the White Star Line built? Answer: No, Titanic was not the only ship built by the White Star Line, in fact the White Star Line story begins back in 1845 in Liverpool when Henry Threlfall Wilson and John Pilkington set themselves up as partners and ship brokers.  They chartered their first ship, the Elizabeth , in 1846 and bought their first ship three yea... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/16056/medal_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-05-30T15:33:17+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/titanic-immigrants/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/titanic-immigrants/ Did the famous ship carry migrants? Question : I’ve heard that the Titanic also had immigrant passengers. Is this true? I thought it was just a cruise ship for wealthy passengers. Answer : Titanic ’s story is not just one of the rich and famous, but is also one of immigration. Like other liners of the day, she carried passengers from all walks of life. Beyond simply cruise ships, these vessels served a practical function as the... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/15714/Southampton_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-05-14T12:58:06+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/horn-of-africa/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/horn-of-africa/ Where exactly is it? Question : What is the Horn of Africa? Answer : The Horn of Africa is a common name for the large peninsula at the eastern edge of the African continent and the group of countries found there – Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djubati. The Horn is home to around 100 million people who speak a wide range of languages and practise several different faiths. At the time of the 2006 census, Victoria w... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/15238/eth-fest-pic_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-04-17T12:03:41+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/immigration-museums/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/immigration-museums/ Are they widespread? What is their function? Question : I am a visitor from the UK and was very interested by the idea of an immigration museum. I don't think we have such a concept at home. What are the origins of the museum and is this a unique notion? Answer : In the 1980s discussion began about the idea of a museum that would concentrate on the rich history of immigration to Victoria. In 1998 Immigration Museum opened in Old Customs... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/14903/Ship_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-03-23T11:28:44+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/sikhism-in-victoria/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/sikhism-in-victoria/ Is this a widespread religion? Question : Are there many Sikhs in Victoria? Answer : Sikhism is one of the world’s largest formalised religions, and traces its origins to Guru Nanak who lived in India in the 15th century. Many of the world’s Sikhs live in the Punjab region of India; however, there are large communities in other countries, including Australia. At the time of the 2006 census, Victoria was home to around a thir... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/14698/MN022439_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-03-14T09:46:04+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/mandaean-community/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/mandaean-community/ What do you know about the Mandaean Community? Question : I would like to know more about the Mandaean Community. Answer : For many thousands of years, the Mandaean community called Iran and Iraq home. It is both a religious and ethnic community which is sometimes referred to as Sabian Mandaean. People who identify as Mandaean follow the religious teachings and rituals of John the Baptist and are thought to pre-date both the Christian and... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/14089/000035356_web_th2.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2010-01-30T13:10:53+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/sidney-myer/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/sidney-myer/ Sidney Myer's immigration story Question : Are Simcha Baevksi and Sidney Myer the same person? Answer : Yes. The well-known businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer was born Simcha Baevksi in Russia in 1878. Sidney is an Anglicised form of Simcha, adopted by Baevski after his immigration to Australia in 1899. At this time he also took the second name of his eldest brother as his family name, Myer. It is under this name that... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/13644/MN009548_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-12-24T11:34:59+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/multicultural-victoria/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/multicultural-victoria/ What does it mean? Question : What do people mean when they describe Victoria as multicultural? Answer : Victoria has a long history of cultural diversity. When the first Victorian census was taken in 1854 the top countries of origin included the British Isles, Germany, China, France and the United States. At the time of the 1901 Census, migrants from New Zealand, Sweden and Norway added to Victoria’s multicultur... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/13502/MN014579_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-12-14T12:10:22+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/egyptian-diversity/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/egyptian-diversity/ Why do my Egyptian ancestors speak Greek? Question : Why do my Egyptian ancestors speak Greek? Answer : Immigrant communities are sometimes linguistically and culturally diverse – even if they come from the same country. Victoria’s Egyptian community is an example of this, with settlers and their descendants speaking a range of languages and professing many faiths. Of the 11,575 Egypt-born Victorians counted in the 2006 census, 47% spo... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/13274/MN023801_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-12-02T12:24:49+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/genealogy-research/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/genealogy-research/ What records do you hold? Question : Does the Immigration Discovery Centre hold records that will be of use in my family history research? Answer : The Immigration Discovery Centre (IDC) is a dedicated research space and information resource centre located at the Immigration Museum. The Centre can help follow up research and information queries from people of all ages and in reference to many different aspects of... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/12602/PB013996_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-11-01T13:42:17+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/indian-hawkers/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/indian-hawkers/ How did they come to Australia? Question : I visited Immigration Museum a couple of months ago. I saw you had some information about the hawkers who travelled around Victoria. I have an old photo of the Indian hawker who used to come by my grandmother's house in his horse-drawn covered wagon in the early 1920s. Can you tell me a little bit more about these hawkers and the story of how they came to Australia? Answer : The Indi... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/12482/image1_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-10-25T12:18:19+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/share-a-story/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/share-a-story/ What kinds of stories does it contain? Question : What kinds of stories are contained in the Share a Story database? Answer : The Share a Story database is an interactive program allowing visitors to Immigration Museum to write their own immigration story. Visitors can submit their stories either by directly typing them into the computer database or by providing a written copy. The stories are then made available for members of the... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/12235/MM111042_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-10-03T10:06:57+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/personal-stories/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/personal-stories/ Do individual immigrants feature at the museum? Question : I have heard that permanent exhibitions at Immigration Museum feature the personal stories of individual migrants. Is this true? Answer : Yes, it’s true. The permanent exhibitions on the Immigration Museum’s first floor cover a range of topics connected to immigration and cultural diversity. While some of these exhibitions appeal to quite universal themes and issues, all depend on... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/12076/germany_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-09-18T11:42:12+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/chinese-immigration/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/chinese-immigration/ Resources for genealogical research Question : I am a fifth-generation Australian of Chinese descent. My ancestor came to Australia during the gold rush and I have begun to do some family history research. Does the museum have records or information relating to the Chinese in Australia in the 19th century? Answer : Immigration Museum explores the stories of people from all over the world who have migrated to Victoria. Our... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/11924/MN022942_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-09-04T16:23:25+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/coat-of-arms/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/coat-of-arms/ What is the meaning of this sign? Question : What is the meaning of the coat of arms above the entrance to Immigration Museum? Answer : The Immigration Museum is located in the Old Customs House, the building in which the customs activities of Victoria took place. The role of customs was to regulate trade and immigration. Customs officers were responsible for recording all goods entering or leaving Victoria and the customs duti... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/11845/coat-of-arms_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-08-29T12:08:53+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/films/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/films/ Does Immigration Museum play films? Question : Does Immigration Museum play films? Answer : Exhibitions at Immigration Museum deploy a range of tools to present Museum Victoria’s collections, including object displays, interactive touch-screens and immersive 3D technology. Short films play an important role in these displays, and can be seen throughout the museum in both permanent and temporary exhibitions. Film is a great medium... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/11540/pc-hampi_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-08-07T15:17:49+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/dreadnought-boys/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/dreadnought-boys/ Who were they? Question : Who were the Dreadnought Boys? Answer : Systematic youth migration to Australia began in the early years of the 20th century and continued for over seventy years, involving approximately 30,000 school-aged immigrants under a number of schemes. One such program was known as the Dreadnought Scheme which commenced when the Trustees of the Dreadnought Fund entered into an agreement with... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/11459/MM110866_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-08-01T13:31:28+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/bangladeshi-victorians/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/bangladeshi-victorians/ Profile of a growing community Question : How many Bangladeshis live in Victoria? Answer : Victoria is home to a significant and growing population of people of Bangladesh origin. In the 1976 census, only 66 Victorians were born in Bangladesh; in the most recent census in 2006, the community had increased to 3,014 people. Of these, more than half had immigrated in the past five years. Today, around one fifth of Australia’s... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/11283/MN024039_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-07-11T15:26:48+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/tribute-walls-and-gardens/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/tribute-walls-and-gardens/ Where can I register my name? Question : I enjoyed my visit to Immigration Museum's Tribute Garden. Are there similar projects still  registering people's names? Answer : Many visitors to the Immigration Discovery Centre enquire about adding their family name to a wall or garden similar to the Tribute Garden at Immigration Museum. There are a number of institutions in Victoria and across the country that offer this service ... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/9939/tg3_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-06-27T10:36:29+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/refugees/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/refugees/ How many refugees come to Australia each year? Question: How many refugees come to Australia each year? Answer: Australia’s permanent immigration program has two components – “migration” for skilled, family and special eligibility stream migrants, and “humanitarian” for refugees and others in humanitarian need. Since the end of World War II, more than 680,000 immigrants have arrived in Australia under humanitarian programs, many as refugees... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/9778/MN008748_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-06-13T14:47:37+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/french-speaking-victorians/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/french-speaking-victorians/ Victoria's French-speaking community Question:  Where do Victoria's French-speakers come from? Answer: As well as being one of the most widely-studied languages at Victorian schools, French is the mother-tongue of many immigrant communities living in Victoria. The state’s francophone community is drawn from across the globe, including Mauritius, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Egypt, Lebanon and France, and African countries such as... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/9544/MN005756_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-05-30T14:49:00+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/ten-pound-poms/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/ten-pound-poms/ What was the "Ten Pound Pom" scheme? Question: What was the “Ten Pound Pom” scheme? Answer: 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. (The word “Pom” meant English people, and was sometimes used in a... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/9176/MN018813_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-05-09T10:50:17+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/talanoa/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/talanoa/ What does Talanoa mean? I have seen the word “Talanoa” around the Immigration Museum. What does it mean? Talanoa is a Fijian word that is often rendered in English as “storytelling,” but which also carries a sense of “dialogue” and “conversation.” The word currently features in the title of an exhibition at the Immigration Museum that focuses on Victoria’s Fiji community. Victoria is currently to home to almost 10,000... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/9048/kava1_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-04-23T13:57:22+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/immigration-history-in-rural-victoria/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/immigration-history-in-rural-victoria/ How can I find out about migration to my region? Question: I live in a rural Victorian region. How can I find out more about migration history in my region? Answer: Migration is a historical theme common to all Victorian regions. Immediately after the founding of Melbourne in 1835, and particularly after the discovery of gold in 1851, migrants began to settle in all parts of Victoria. In the decade between 1846 and 1855, the Victorian... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/8833/mn010255_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-04-12T15:41:31+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/muslim-australians/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/muslim-australians/ What is the relationship between migration and Islam? Question : What is the relationship between migration and Islam? Answer : Australia is a nation of many cultures and faiths. It is also a close neighbour of the most populous Muslim country in the world. Islam has a long and rich history in Australia, and continues to be a significant element of the nation’s religious make-up. There is also a strong connection between migration and Islam – of a... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/8727/Afghan-camel-drivers_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-03-27T11:38:32+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/new-zealand-migration/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/new-zealand-migration/ How many New Zealanders live in Australia? Question: How many New Zealanders live in Australia? Answer: New Zealand and Australia share a special relationship in all sorts of ways, and there are many New Zealanders who live and work in Australia. Permanent arrivals to Australia by New Zealand citizens in 2007-08 totalled 34,494, and by the end of that financial year there were an estimated 521,200 New Zealand citizens present in... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/8538/mn006624_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-03-15T11:38:57+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/migrant-politicians/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/migrant-politicians/ Are there any Australian politicians who were born overseas? Question: Are there any Australian politicians who were born overseas? Answer: Yes, there certainly are. The Commonwealth of Australia is organised under a complex system of government, where power is administered at three levels: local, state and federal. Generally speaking, there are few limits on who can be a politician in Australia, since to be so only requires that a person is elected by a... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/8309/mn009836_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-02-28T13:05:58+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/earl-grey-scheme/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/earl-grey-scheme/ Who came to Australia on the Earl Grey Scheme? Question: What was the Earl Grey Scheme? Answer: The Great Famine in Ireland in the 1840s was a time of great change for the people of Ireland. The population of Ireland reduced significantly during this time with many people making the voyage to Australia. Among those making the journey were approximately 4000 Irish female orphans under the Earl Grey Scheme. The immigration scheme was the... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/8017/_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2009-02-15T15:28:01+11:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/stowaways/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/stowaways/ Can you find my grandfather? Question I am writing in the hope that you can help me search for information about my grandfather. He was born in Blenheim, New Zealand. Sometime between 1890 and 1894, when he was 11-15 years old, he stowed away on a boat and came out to Australia. Upon landing in Victoria, he was discovered and spent a period of time in the lock-up. He was subsequently visited by the Salvation Army and... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/5880/mm001140_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2008-05-01T15:20:47+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/cambodian-immigration/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/cambodian-immigration/ Can you help me with my research? Question: I have a project for school on immigration to Australia. We had to choose a country that people came from. I chose Cambodia. Can you help me get started on my project? Answer: There was very little Cambodian immigration to Australia until the 1950s when a small number of students from Cambodia arrived under the Colombo Plan. The Colombo Plan was established in 1950 and encouraged... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/7160/mn022320_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2008-08-31T16:27:42+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/italian-migration/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/italian-migration/ Where can I start my research into my family's migration history? Question: My parents migrated from Italy fifty years ago this year. They would like to collate information about their migration journey to share with the family. Do you have any suggestions? Answer: In the first instance, you may like to obtain a copy of the official documentation of your parents’ journey from Italy to Australia. The National Archives of Australia is the central repository for... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/7056/Castel-Felice-ship_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2008-08-03T17:14:17+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/victorias-migrant-communities/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/victorias-migrant-communities/ Where did Victorians come from? Question: How many migrant communities are there living in Melbourne? How many people are in each community and how has this changed over time? Where can I find statistical information on these communities? Answer: At the time of the 2006 Australian census, there were people from over 230 countries living in Victoria. The Immigration Museum website Origins: Immigrant Communities in Victoria... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/6936/Customs_th.jpg http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2008-06-29T16:08:06+10:00 http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/family-history-research/ http://museumvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/discoverycentre/your-questions/family-history-research/ How to start your family history research Question: I have found out that my great great grandfather migrated to Victoria from Germany in 1882 on the Sorrento , aged 20. I know he lived in Richmond and was an undertaker. I would like to know what records there might be about his life after he arrived in Victoria. A funeral procession. A horsedrawn hearse is followed by a number of carriages. Source: Museum Victoria,  Biggest Family Alb... http://museumvictoria.com.au//pages/3744/MM008520_th.gif http://museumvictoria.com.au/ Museum Victoria 2008-05-01T15:20:42+10:00