People have come to Australia from all over the world, for different reasons and in different ways, commencing with the convict prison ships at settlement in Sydney cove to the frail vessels that land on or shores with immigrants.

Our records reflect the disparate and changing attitudes towards migrants and the evolving patterns of travel and migration over the 20th and 21st centuries, since Federation, the Australian Government has been responsible for developing laws and policies that decide who can and can’t enter Australia, for migration, citizenship and travel and study purposes, These are of immense historical and personal significance.

From early settlers through to modem day backpackers, many people of all ages and level of income enjoy the extraordinary opportunities that this vast country can offer to all who visit for a short stay or to relocate to her shores.

Australia has its exceptional diversity migrant population history to thank for the vast range of cuisine, culture and customs,  the development of towns and fields from the Italians who worked in the care fields in North Queensland, the Germans who settled in South Australia with their grape cuttings, the Chinse who dived, deep and dangerous for pearls off Western Australia,, many losing their lives,  the first settlers on the tiny apple isle of Tasmania, the rugger explorers who drove cattle into the dry arid plains of the Northern Territory, the sheep owners and shearers who populated New South Wales.

Who could forget the interesting range of men and women who created a major city that has become our capital city out of waste lands and with water from one of Australia’s most arduous demanding construction projects the Snowy River pipeline. The trains that run across the land from Pacific to Indian oceans, from top to bottom of this sunburnt land

We, this little country “Down under” assisted with a segment of a world wide phenomenon in the 1960’s of having man walk on the moon from a little rural township in NSW.  Created our own national air line in an outback town in Qld. The first flying doctor’s service in the world providing medical assistance anywhere at anytime in person or via a petal type radio in some of the most isolated land in the world.

Australia can offer everything any other county in the world could provide, it has the one of the major wonders in the world, The Great Barrier Reef offering a range of beautiful coast line fringed with tropic rainforest, you can ski, snowboard or just snuggle up before a warm fireplace on fresh snowfields high in the great ranges in winter and watch wild brumbies roam these same mountains in the warmer months.

The country can provide a range of minerals from diamonds to iron ore, black coal to uranium, form the humble close hoist to that black paste that only an “Aussie” could love, Vegemite!   

We are proud of our country, March to celebrate our fallen each April, watch the harbour city light the dark sky with beautiful fireworks at the start of the year, the whole country stops for a horse race each November, we love our many sports while yelling hoarse the wining team, but if we lose, we do so in good grace.

We are, I am an Australian ……. Would you like to live in “Down Under”?

It has advantages for everyone!

Lesleyann J.C.

Link: Migration to Australia