Homeland Stories

Blue background with pale outline of world map. A dotted line across most of the map trails behind a white image of an aeroplane in pretend flight aimed at the tip of Victoria on a map of Australia in the bottom right hand side

Libraries play a role in preserving our national story as a multicultural society. Yarra Plenty Regional Library has recently collected a range of untold stories unique to the experience of migration and the Australian story.

Earlier this year we invited members of the community to nominate themselves to participate. We were looking for people who had migrated to Australia and had an object that they still treasured from their Homeland.

Participants shared their stories of migration, their life in Australia now and how they feel about being Australian.

We invite you to watch our compilation video and the individual stories we collected.

Compilation video with all our participants.

David : “Immigration is in the Irish DNA”

Derek: “There was major disruption to society and there was lots of violence and I believe that was going to happen in South Africa at some stage so I would leave before that happened".

Henry: “Coming to Australia was really an absolute godsend, really”.

Ignacio: "Australia has been a great change for good”.

Jill: “I thought I was an Australian citizen. I didn't know I wasn't".

Lotta: “Whichever way I fly, I go home”.

Robert: “If someone would have probably told me before I’d emigrated how difficult it would be, I may not have come. It has been tough. As it is for everybody.”

Sarah: “Australia just presented great opportunities”.

Yuki: “In the beginning it was very tough… I have been lucky that I got my permanent residency relatively easy compared to what it is looking now”.

YPRL would like to acknowledge and thank all our partners with this project. A special thank you to all our participants, Masterworks Media Productions and Diamond Valley Photographic Society.

Homeland: Treasured Objects from Afar was supported by the Victorian Government who recognize that local and community history is an important part of Victoria’s memory.

YPRL received funding through the Local History Grants Program which encourages and fosters community activities that preserve, record and share the local, social and community history of Victoria and Victorians.