Immigration+Into+Melbourne

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//Immigration has impacted greatly on the development of Melbourne since settlement. There have been many events in Victoria that have brought in nationalities and cultures from all over the world.// // Before gold was discovered, the settlement of the Port Phillip District was not by any means ‘booming in population.’ Later, when gold was discovered, immigrants started coming in by the thousands. Melbourne’s population doubled and then tripled. Throughout the years immigrants have migrated to Australia for many reasons. Most of them are due to problems that are happening in the home country, such as climate, wars, conflict, famine, or from natural disturbances like earthquakes. Some people want to start a new life, some want to have freedom of religion, or to learn. All the early immigrants came over on ships. This was risky, because the boats were riddled with sicknesses and diseases that spread and could kill you. The living quarters on the ship would have been unhygienic, unclean, and would have smelled terrible. One of the most important things that has happened in immigration history was when the term ‘alien’ or ‘non-citizen’ was abolished (in the 1980s) and people could come in without discrimination if they were Europeans or non-Europeans. // //Here are three nationalities that have a prominent place, culture, and population residing in Melbourne.// //** Chinese Immigrants ** During the Victorian gold rush (1856 – late 1860s), many Chinese people, mainly men, migrated to Victoria in hopes to become rich. By 1861 the Chinese community made up 7% of the Victorian population, and Little Bourke Street became the centre for Chinese culture and business. Eventually, when gold ran out, they became market gardeners and farmers. Some started small grocery stores and fruit & veggie stores in country towns, while others worked around the city. Throughout 1861 to 1947, the population started to decrease. The number of Chinese immigrants declined when immigration was restricted by the Government policy, the 1901 Immigration Restriction Act that reduced the entry of non-Europeans.   In 1970s, the Immigration Restriction Act was finally lifted. Between 1986 and 1991 the population of Chinese born in Victoria reached over 20,000 due to many Chinese students seeking citizenship. In recent years, many professionals migrated from China including scholars, doctors and business investors.  By 2001, more than 35,000 Victorians were Chinese born, more than 1,000 people with Chinese origins lived in Melbourne and over 6,000 people spoke Chinese. //// Many Chinese religious and cultural organisations were established. Chinese New Year became a highlight for many Victorian towns. Little Bourke Street, where many Chinese immigrants visited, later became Melbourne’s famous Chinatown, where Chinese Museum is also located. During the Victorian gold rush, Chinatown was large; taking up approximately 4 blocks. Unfortunately, the Immigration Restriction Act in 1901 led to decline in Chinese population in Australia, which also led to Chinese-owned shops to close which meant that the Chinatown got smaller. In 1970s, many Chinese people started to open shops in Chinatown again, this was also the time when the roads of the Chinatown were cleaned. Also, in 1980, Tianjin in China became one of Melbourne’s sister cities. This led to the opening of Tianjin Garden in 2000, which is located near Parliament Station. //


 * **// Did you know? Australia was called New Gold Mountain by the Chinese when gold was found in Victoria. // ** ||

//** Greek Immigrants **// //As for most nationalities, the Greek immigrant rate went sky high when gold was discovered in Ballarat. Hoping to be wealthy when they returned to their home country, men often left their families in Greece to take a ship to Melbourne. Most close relations that stayed overseas in their home country when their husbands went to mine for gold came over to live in Melbourne eventually. When the gold boom declined, the Greeks worked or set up cafes and restaurants—and that contributed to the large amount of Greek food culture that resides in modern Melbourne.// // About twenty years before World War II restrictions were put down and the Greeks came less frequently. In this way the Greek immigrant rate went into a dormant period, until the after effects of World War II when Australia was welcoming people to come over from Europe, mainly because of the want of economic infrastructure. Greeks all over started to form factories, farms, community gathering spots and schools. These facilities were successful, mainly due to the sheer population, and today Melbourne is the largest Greek-populated city besides Athens. Places that have a constant Greek culture to them are Oakleigh, Port Melbourne, Doncaster, and Lonsdale Street in the Central Business District. // //** Italian Immigrants ** Italians were present on Australian land from the first years of discovery by the Europeans, namely by Captain James Cook. Two Italians were on Cook’s Endeavour. Hundreds of Italians came over for gold, but did not stay very long in Victoria after the boom. They left the state to seek other places to live in or to find labour. The Italians that didn’t leave branched out of the city and spread out over the rural community of Melbourne. In 1896, when the gold boom had ended, and Melbourne had sunk into depression, there were approximately one and a half thousand Italians living in the area. Despite the small amount of Italians remaining in Victoria, there were two prominent figures that came over from Europe and helped configure, devise, and plan better water treatment plans for Melbourne. Those two men were named Carlo Cantani and Eltore Checchi. // //The second time the Italian immigrant rate went significantly high was in the early 1900s. Economic hardship was going through Italy and many people came to Australia to escape it. There was also an increase of Italian migrants after World War II.// // Today, Lygon Street near the CBD and the suburb Carlton are known for their distinct Italian culture. //
 * **// Did you know? Italians were present on Australian land from the first years of discovery by the Europeans, namely by Captain James Cook. Two Italians were on Cook’s Endeavour. //** ||

// Melbourne is a multicultural city and the gold rush played a major role in making it so. Although immigration was restricted in 1901, there were many immigrants in Melbourne already and when the Immigration Restriction Act was lifted, many non-Europeans migrated from all over the world to Melbourne. A lot of Melburnians have different background cultures, which indicates the rate of immigration into Melbourne is still very high. // // You do have to take into account that the Chinese, Greek, and Italian people were not the only nationalities that moved to Melbourne. Many other people from a multitude of countries, religions, regions, and ways of life have immigrated to Victoria, and their presence is reflected in Melbourne in different ways. People chose their own paths when they came here, so they could hopefully find a way for a new experience, or a new kind of life.

Our opinion: (Ayame and Ellie) It’s great that we have a variety of different cultures and nationalities because it brings diverse types of food and ways of living into Melbourne and Victoria. Melbourne without these cultures would be lacking a certain personality that makes it so colourful. There are so many kinds of restaurants and little communities it breaks up the Central Business District from monotony but also makes it a very exciting place to be. //