Greek islander migration to South Australia 1919-1939: Emigration, settlement and community building

This chapter explores the migration of Greek islanders to South Australia between the wars. Greek islanders were the most numerous Greeks migrating to SA during this period, likely due to their mobile and maritime nature. Adelaide, Port Pirie, and the towns of the South Australian West Coast, all became important centres for the early Greek community, with industries such as fishing, farming and smelting being major drawcards. Thus, this chapter will follow Greek islander emigration out of the Mediterranean, and their immigration into SA. The factors that pushed them from their home region and pulled them southwards, as well as their modes of settlement and early community building, will be examined. This includes the establishment of SA’s first Greek Orthodox Church, and the first Greek ethnic community organisations. In all, this chapter aims to help understand who, why and how Greek islander migrants were migrating to SA.