The photo was taken at either Station or Princes Pier in Port Melbourne. President Verbič talked to the migrants in Slovenian language making them welcomed and helping them to overcome the trauma of leaving behind parents, relatives and friendsFor Slovenians the meeting of another Slovenian in a foreign land is very significant, especially with the promise of help and understandingBlack and white photo of the President Zlatko Verbič welcoming Slovenian migrants at Port Melbourne. The Slovenian Club welcomed as many migrants arriving as possible to make their stay in Australia more friendly and homely.slovenian migrants, port melbourne, president zlatko verbic, slovenian language, migrants, trauma

- Migrant ships arriving into Port Melbourne in 1956. Migrants boarding the train to Bonegilla camp and resettling in Victoria. - Section on Olympic Games in Melbourne was filmed by Father Basil Valentin OFM who was the Chaplain of the American Olympic team. -Also showed extracts of Moomba festival in 1957. - Slovenian settling on Australian farms and weddings of members of the Slovenian community This video shows the magnitude of migrants who arrived in Australia in 1956 by ships mainly from Italian ports from Genoa, Trieste and Naples. It shows the settling of migrants into camps and depicts their everyday life including education and recreation and assimilation into Australia. 120 minute video cassette in colour depicting migrant ships arriving to Port Melbourne in 1956 and short clips of the Melbourne Olympic Games. Also includes footage of train journey to Bonegilla camp and camp housing facility.0002migration, resettlement, bonegilla, slovenians, ships, olympics 1956

On Sunday 19 December 1954 at 3.30 pm, 52 people attended the inaugural general meeting, which was held in the Catholic church hall at Theodore Street, St Albans. Slovenians at the meeting were enthused at the prospect of developing closer ties and a committee was formed to organise the next dance. This humble beginning laid the groundwork for the establishment of the first Slovenian organisation in Melbourne, Victoria.On 5 December 1954 the first meeting of the club’s preparatory committee was held at 36 Prentice Street, East St Kilda with 26 people in attendance. The group prepared a list of regulations and decided on the name Slovenski klub Melbourne – Slovenian Club Melbourne (SCM). The first Minutes of the Meeting announced the club’s statement of purpose: • to assist migrants of Slovenian origin; • to assist assimilation to the Australian way of life; • to help Slovenian migrants in every possible way, especially financially; • to help Slovenian refugees in Europe, especially those who wanted to find a a new and free life in Australia; • to offer members and their friends healthy intellectual and physical activities in the cultural, social and sports arenas; and • to cultivate a Slovenian cultural heritage while also making contributions to their Australian community.A sepia photo of the Slovenians attending the first meeting in St. Albans, 1954 Some in attendance included: Ljubo Pirnat, Paule Postarenko, Ivan Gerbec, Tinka Verbic, Zladko Verbic, Viktor Ferfolia, Tusek, Joze Pekolj, Mrs Potocnik, Joze Potocnik, Janezic, Fanc Novina, Joze Golenko.first slovenian club, slovenians in melbourne, slovenian club, regulations of first slovenian club

Migrant family Bole in Australia, 1958Family Bole in Australia, Pascoe Vale, September 5, 1958: daughter Danila, 13; Silvester, Marcela giving her husband an expresso coffee to celebrate the occasion, and Neva 17 years oldslovenian migrant family, marcela bole, slovenian association melbourne