The two men are from L-R: Jack Collins and Leo Kostos who were members of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society.Both men were the children of Ithacan immigrants who settled in Melbourne in the early 20th century. A coloured photograph with a white border at the top and bottom of the photograph of two men sitting on a lounge chair at a social function.

The two ladies in the photograph are Sia Andrews and Helen Koutsoukis at a social function at the Ithacan club rooms. Sia, a second generation Ithacan, was the first woman president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society. Helen's parents were from the island of Kastellorizo. Sia's son Ross and Helen's daughter Chrisanthi (Cynthia) married. In the early days of Greek migration the Ithacans and the Kastellorizians were two of the largest Greeks communities in Melbourne. The children of this first wave of immigrants, such as Sia and Helen, developed close friendship through Greek school and various cultural celebrations and social connections. A coloured photograph of two ladies at a social function. They are both wearing name tags.

Photograph is at the wedding of Costas Defteros and Anastasis(Tasista) Raftopoulos. From left: Argiris Deftereos, Nina Chalkiades, Marika Deftereos (groom's mother), Costas and Tasista Defteros, the best man Marinos and Eutichia (nee Vlassopoulos, Kiourkiouris) Drakopoulos, Agathi Drakopoulos (Marino's mother, nee Deftereos Dellis). Flower girls from left: Chrissa Kandiliotis and Christine Kandiliotis. Young boy is Jim Drakopoulos. Kostas and Tasia settled in Brisbane.The photograph was taken at Hioni Photo Studios which was located opposite the Evangelismos Church in Victoria Parade. Many of the post war Greek immigrants of the 50s and 60s had their wedding studio photos taken at Hioni's. A black and white studio photograph of a wedding group of three men, five ladies, two flower girls and a little boy. The group are standing behind a curtained window.Hioni Photo Studios

The photo is of Stathi and Kassiani Raftopoulos arriving at the at 33rd Festival International du Film Cannes in 1980. Stathi was passionate about the motion picture industry and was instrumental in bringing Greek cinema to Australia. At one stage the Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures company, in which he was a partner, operated 12 picture theatres across inner suburban Melbourne screening Greek films. Because of his active interest in the film industry it is no surprise that he attended film festivals.The screening of Greek films at the Cosmopolitan cinemas provided a key source of entertainment to the large post WWII Greek immigrant population living in inner suburban Melbourne. Stathi's promotion of Greek films in Melbourne helped to establish greater interest in foreign films across the city. Cosmopolitan cinemas were the first to screen Indian films in Melbourne.A coloured photograph of a couple in formal attire arriving at an event.33rd. FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL/ DU FILM CANNES 1980.cannes film festival

On the right is Stathi Raftopoulos and his business partner Pangiotis (Peter) Giannoudis. The photograph, taken in Sydney in 1972, at a meeting of men involved in the Greek theatre/film industry. One of the men is a Mr. Heliopolis, a member of the Greek Heliopolis Theatre visiting Australia. Stathi Raftopoulos was active in promoting Greek film and live performances in Australia from the 1950s through to the 1970s. As a result of the efforts of Stathi Raftopoulos to bring Greek theatre and films to Australia many of the post WW2 Greek immigrants who settled in Australia were able to enjoy entertainment from Greece. Stathi was a partner in the Cosmopolitan Film company which had a number cinemas in the inner suburbs of Melbourne in the 19600s - early 1980s. Although they screened almost exclusively Greek films, they were the first to bring Indian films to Australia.A black and white photograph of seven men sitting around a table in a cafe.

The Certificate of Registration of an alien was issued to a non-British subject who was not an enemy but was residing on a permanent basis in Australia. This document was issued to Nicholas Alexander Black who was born on the Greek island of Ithaca in 1885 and had emigrated to Australia and settled in Geraldton, Western Australia in 1916. He was the proprietor of the Federal Coffee Palace, in Geraldton at the time the certificate was issued. The certificates were issued by the Commonwealth of Australia under the Department of Defence as a result of the War Precautions (Aliens Registration) Regulation 1916. The recipient of the certificate was obliged to carry it with him at all times. The Certificate of Registration of an Alien is an example of the regulations in place during the first half of the twentieth century as part of Australia's immigration policy which placed restrictions on non-British European immigration as a means of ensuring that Australia's population remained essentially British. At the time non-British Europeans immigrants to Australia were unassisted. Family members already settled in Australia were required to guarantee the new-comer's support. A certificate of registration of an alien issued by the Commonwealth Department of Defence.

In the photograph a young Nakis Raftopoulos is arranging the fruit display in his father's (Spiro Raftopoulos) shop which was at 250 Johnson Street in Abbotsford. Many Ithacan Greeks who settled in Melbourne opened businesses as it was difficult for non-British immigrants to secure employment in the early years when Ithacans first started arrive. The business were mostly associated with food vending, either cafes, restaurants, oyster bars and sea food shops, or fruit shops, stalls or barrows. They ventured into the food vending business because it was an area the had skills in. Also some of these business didn't require enormous initial capital outlay and provided a springboard for entrepreneurial Ithacans to progress to larger scale businesses. The ownership of businesses by Ithacans assisted the development of chain migration with Ithacan business owners providing employment to relatives who wished to emigrate to Melbourne. A black and white photograph of a young man in a fruit shop. he is arranging apples in a display behind a counter. The photograph has been reproduced and is mounted on board.

The passenger liner 'Queen Frederica' was one of the many ships that transported Greek emigrants to Australia in the post World War 2 years up until air travel became a more efficient and faster means of travel. Between 1945 and 1965, two million immigrants arrived in Australia. The decision by the Australian Government to open up the nation in this way was based on the notion of ‘populate or perish’ that emerged in the wake of the Second World War. Among the new immigrants were the first government-sanctioned non-British migrants.A black and white photograph of a ship berthed at Princes Pier, Port Melbourne. Rail trucks and a crane are in the middle distance and a car, utility and trailer are parked beside the ship. The photograph has been mounted on chip board.51A/ 26port melbourne.

Costa and Helen Vlassopoulos (Kopela) on board a ferry in 1962 when they were holidaying in Greece with their daughters Eugenia and Anna. It was Costa's first trip back to Ithaca since he migrated to Melbourne in 1937. Costa was reunited with his parents, Dimitri and Eugenia Vlassopoulos, who had returned to Ithaca in 1958 for their retirement. Up until the 1960s very few Ithacans travelled back to Greece. However, as air travel became more common and affordable travel became more common. Today descendants of early Ithacan immigrants return to the island on a regular basis. Some have restored family homes. A black and white photograph of a lady and a man sitting on the deck of a ferry.

The picture is of a Greek dance group, possible organised by the Olympic Club. Nina Black pictured in the middle row was an Australian born Ithacan who was very active in a variety of Greek community activities, including the performing arts and education. She was passionate about fostering Greek culture and language within the Ithacan, Greek and wider Australian community in Melbourne. She went on to establish her Greek dancing classes which were popular with both the Greek and broader Australian community. Her Greek dance group performed Greek dances at many social functions and dressed in traditional Greek costumes, the performances added colour to the events and were widely appreciated. Pictured, back row L-R: . . ? . ., Olympia Cecil, . . ? . . , ...... Green. Middle row L-R: ...... Green, . . . ? . . . , Michael Black, Nina Black, Marguerita Black. Front row L-R: Spiro Polites, Eleni Vrachna, Effie Cecil, Ellie Black, Harry NicholadesThe teaching of Greek dancing to the children of Greek immigrants ensured the maintenance of Greek cultural traditions in their adopted country. A black and white photograph of ten ladies and three men dressed in Greek national costume and posing on a staircase.

In the photograph Dennis (Menelaos) and Rita (Margarita) (nee Paizis) Varigos are enjoying night out with friends at a Melbourne restaurant. Dennis was actively involved with IPS as a committee member and was president between 1960 - 1965.Both Dennis and Rita were both the children of early Ithacan immigrants. A coloured photograph of two couples at a restaurant.

Stathy Raftopoulos was instrumental in bring Greek films to Melbourne and screened them in various picture theatres in the inner Melbourne suburbs where most post WW2 migrants were living. Prior to the opening of Greek cinemas various venues were used for screenings including Nicholas Hall in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.With the advent of television many suburban cinemas were no longer drawing the crowds. It was at this time that Stathi Raftopoulos with his partners in the Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures company purchased cinemas in the in suburbs of Melbourne where Greek immigrants were living - in 1960 the National Theatre in Richmond; 1961 the Sun Theatre Yarraville; 1965, the Paramount Theatre Oakleigh, Kinema Theatre Albert Park, and the Empire Theatre Brunswick and Westgarth Theatre Northcote. Here they screened Greek movies which entertained the Greek community supporting them to maintain their link with Greece and their culture and traditions. A black and white photograph of a man standing between two film projectors in a room.

The photograph is taken following the baptism of Marietta Paizis, the daughter of Gerasimos and Penelope Paizes, took place in an Anglican Church in Mildura with the Orthodox priest conducting the service. This was common practice amongst the Greek community in Mildura during the first half of the twentieth century as there was no Orthodox Church in the town. The priest travelled from Melbourne to conduct special family services for the Greek community in Mildura and other regional towns in Victoria. It is possible that there was more than one baptism during the service to take advantage of the priest attendance in Mildura. Marietta was the daughter of Maintaining traditional customs and ceremonies has always been important amongst the Greek immigrants who settled in Australia. Although the majority of Ithacans and other Greeks settled and established businesses in Melbourne during the first half of the twentieth century, some settled in regional towns throughout Victoria. Ithacan settlement in Mildura dates back to the early 1900s. A black and white photograph of a group of people standing outside a church. Three adults holding their babies are standing in the front of the group. Everyone in the group is smartly dressed suggesting that the photograph was taken to celebrate a special occasion.

Panoyiannis (Peter) Raftopoulos arrived in Australia in 1937 on the RMS STRAITHAIRD. Travel to Australia between the He married Evgenia Raftopulos and they had two children, Loula and Spearos. Peter was the brother of Kalypso Sofianos nee Raftopoulos. Peter was secretary of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society 1938-1949 and 1953 and an Honorary Life Member.Between the world wars migrants made the long journey to Australia on steamships such as the STRAITHAIRD. Then came the ocean liners which remained the main form of transportation for immigrants to Australia until well into the 1960s. By the 1970s, the wave of post-war migration by ocean liner to Australia was largely over. With fewer migrants coming to Australia, travel was mainly by air.A scanned photograph of the P&O liner, RMS STRAITHAIRD on a voyage. P&O. RMS "STRAITHAIRD' 22 500 TONS/INDIA AND AUSTRALIA MAIL AND PASSENGER SERTVICE.

Gerasimos Galatis is the shopkeeper standing outside his confectionary shop at 225 Bay Street, Port Melbourne. The chocolates were home made and were artistically presented, especially at Easter. He and his wife Ellie ran the business in Port Melbourne for over thirty years and it was a very popular venue especially as it was near the former picture theatre in Port Melbourne.This was yet another example of the various businesses which early Ithacan Greek immigrants owned and ran successfully throughout the first half of the twentieth century.A sepia photograph mounted on board of a man standing outside a confectionary shop. A variety of sweets are displayed attractively in the shop window which has a sign declaring the confectionary are 'Home Sweets'

A photo of Rine (Ekaterini) Varvarigos (Sikiotis) and her younger sister Olga Varvarigos (Andrews). Rine was born in Ithaca in 1910. In 1914 her parents Ioannis and Giannoula Varvarigos departed for Rhodesia with their baby son Dimitrios (Jim), leaving Rene and older brother Nicholas on Ithaca in care of their maternal grandmother. Her parents' journey to Rhodesia encountered delays at the Port Said so they eventually boarded a boat headed to Australia from where they thought they would get passage to Africa. However with the outbreak of WW1 they eventually settled in Melbourne where three more children were born, Constantinos 1916, Menelaos (Dennis) 1918 and Olga in 1925. Nicholas joined his parents in Melbourne in 1923 aged 14; and Ekaterini arrive in 1916 aged 16. Family separations were not uncommon for early Ithacan immigrants. Typically the intention was the they would only be away for a short time or that other family members, usually spouses and children, would follow later, once the men were more established. A black and white photograph of a young woman in a garden with a little child.Written on the back and translated from the Greek: Olga with Renee.

The Certificate of Naturalisation was issued to Nicholas Paizis on 6 August 1928. At the time he was residing at 30 Bay Street, South Melbourne.By becoming an Australian citizen an immigrant gained greater security and freedom in the adopted country. It was an important step that many migrants have taken since arriving in Australia.A photograph of Naturalisation papers issued by the Commonwealth of Australia.

A large volume of 175 pages features illustrations, maps, portraits and photograph. It includes bibliographical references and an index. non-fictionThredbo is not just Australia's winter wonderland, where the brightly attired soar on crisp white snow beneath clear blue skies. For many it is home all year round. This comprehensive history reveals the trailblazers and characters who carved out a lifestyle from the mountains, living through blizzards, bushfires and landslides. More than just a company town, Thredbo is a pure expression of the multicultural ethos, built by immigrant pioneers, enjoyed by generations of Australians.thredbo history, australian ski resorts, snowy mountains