Crafting of an Australian Citizenship Quilt NSW Contributions

The Citizenship Policy and Promotion Section of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs would like to thank the following NSW contributors to the Australian Citizenship Quilt and the companion Young Australian Citizenship Quilt. In total, about 400 squares were received and almost 300 selected for the final designs.

qryNSWWeb ArtistSurname ArtistFirst Name ArtistSuburb ArtistID Anderson Katherine Albion Park Rail 46 Arnott Lynne Turramurra 94 Banks Diane Wirrimbi 75 Barrett Judith Katoomba 225 Bartlett Coralie Forestville 284 Betts Elizabeth Coonabarabran 283 Blanchard Maree Marrickville 35 Bloomfield Philippa Turramurra 288 Boyton Gwenda Tuross Head 157 Bray Karina Lilyfield 181 Brown Anne-Marie Frenchs Forest 113 Bryce Ellen Londonderry 133 Catanzariti Caterina Griffith 163 Catanzariti Brendan Griffith 164 Catanzariti David Jerabombera 164 Chapman Barbara Granville 78 Chapple Jane Corrimal 192 Covey Danielle Beacon Hill 285 Daly Lynne Harrington Park 60 Eames Amelia Wahroonga 279 Eldridge Glad Nyngan 232 Evans Helen Manildra 185 Fenton Olga East Lindfield 134 Fleming Vivien Port Macquarie 207 Gatenby Karla Turramurra 289 Gibbs-Carson Felicity Ulladulla 47 Giblin Sally St Ives 70 Gilchrist Anthea Cherrybrook 89 Gras Marlene Griffith 151 Greenwood Pietty Liverpool 203 Greenwood Pietty Liverpool 204 Greenwood Pietty Liverpool 205 Hale Caitlin Wahroonga 280 Hansen Jean East Gosford 290 Hendricks Anna Gordon 277

qryNSWWeb ArtistSurname ArtistFirst Name ArtistSuburb ArtistID Howard Yvonne Urunga 159 Hyde Janet Niagara Park 19 Kelly Sheila Kirrawee 6 Kitto Marina Rockdale 31 Kleinschafer Sister Mary East Maitland 139 Lemin Jean Cooranbong 26 Lemin Jean Cooranbong 27 Lever Leonie Keiraville 22 Levey Catherine Braidwood 63 Lima Teresa Rosemeadow 155 Lloyd Sue Lismore 96 Long Elizabeth Green Point 62 Lovett Patricia Nyngan 230 Lucas Judy Roseville 286 Magree Mardi Faulconbridge 59 Mason Kathy North Narrabeen 111 Masters Jean Cooranbong 16 Masters Jean Cooranbong 17 McAllister Hannah Normanhurst 281 McGann Barbara Gordon 282 McGregor Helen Kellyville 24 McKenna Lily Toongabbie 292 McLeod Jill Via Braidwood 199 Miles Ann Old Toongabbie 293 Mills Elizabeth Ulladulla 177 Mirek Letitia Lewisham 58 Moffet Kate Turramurra 287 Morris Caitlin Wahroonga 278 Muir Barbara MARAYONG 38 Pages Vanessa Leeton 164 Pardy Yvonne Nyngan 231 Patel Dami Ingleburn 193 Perry Monica Green Point 291 Power Julie Grafton 55 Procopis Dianne Davidson 179 Reeds Jo Penrith 154 Rigg Judy Berry 66 Scarborough Nerida Rydalmere 57 Selby-Morton Anne Port Macquary 187 Stacey Gail Cranbrook 150 Sutton Judith Palm Beach 61 Thomas Elizabeth MAYFIELD 36 Thorpe Dr Leon Griffith 130 Thorpe Suzanne Griffith 129 Turner Stephanie Peakhurst 174 Turner Stephanie Peakhurst 175

qryNSWWeb ArtistSurname ArtistFirst Name ArtistSuburb ArtistID Turner Stephanie Peakhurst 176 Urquhart Elsa Dural 34 Vukoja Durdica Fairfield 49 Wall Shirla Dubbo 307 Watson Elizabeth Cooma 51 Weatherstone June Via Braidwood 189 Weedon Heather Point Clare 56 White Carole Saratoga 74 Wiencke Edna Wagga Wagga 95

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The artist’s “Sea Chest” design includes a toy to represent the children, a rose for her parents whose ashes are in her rose garden and her father’s Royal Air Force badge.

Anderson, Katherine Albion Park Rail NSW “The Sea Chest” The artist’s parents married in England in August 1939, with three children born in war time circumstances, surviving strictly rationed food and dreadful nights in air raid shelters, listening to sirens and bomb blasts, clutching our gas masks and praying. Her father, a coach builder by trade, joined the Royal Air Force repairing damaged aircraft, many flown by Australian airmen who often told him stories about how wonderful it was to live in Australia. These stories gave her parents “hope for a better, brighter, happier future in a new country.” “We had our personal belongings in a sea chest that my father bought off a sailor, who had assured him it would survive the voyage. It did. In fact, that chest is still kept in the family some 51 years on. “As we settled in this beautiful country, Australia became our permanent home. My mother and father never regretted coming to Australia and never returned to England. Sadly, my mother and father have now both passed away. My brothers and I decided to become Australian citizens as a tribute to them, as now our children and grandchildren benefit from their courage to make us all a new life in Australia – the ‘lucky country’.”

17 June 1954 – the last night before the Palmer family left England for Australia

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Arnott, Lynne Turramurra NSW No story provided.

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Banks, Diane Wirrimbi NSW No story provided.

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Barrett, Judith Katoomba NSW No story provided.

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Bartlett, Coralie Forestville NSW No story provided.

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Betts, Elizabeth Coonabarabran NSW Coonabarabran Junior Guides & Lone Waratah Guides “We come together as a group with all different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. We abide by our Promise and the Guide Laws.”

Betty Viazim Photograph: Peter Holderness, courtesy of NIDA Blanchard, Maree Marickville NSW The artist’s father, Gregory Nikitich Viazim, fled Russia with his brother in 1922 for Shanghai where he lived with the expatriate Russian community before migrating to Australia in 1925. He worked as an electrical welder in Townsville, Darwin and Port Kembla before arriving in Sydney. He met and married Betty Viazim, who received an Order of the British Empire in 1981 for her services to Australia’s Film Industry. Apart from credits in classic Australian films and television productions including “We of the Never Never”, “Careful He Might Hear You” and “My Brother Jack”, she lectured in theatre crafts at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) from 1974 – 1983. Betty Viazim’s millinery extended to creating hats for collectable dolls. After Betty’s death, the artist created the annual “Betty Viazim Craft Award” in her mother’s honour.

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Gregory Viazim received his Certificate of Naturalization on 15 April 1940.

“I would not be here if Australia had not accepted [my father] as a migrant … his brother went to America and his parents and sister were not heard of again. I think Australian citizenship is just the most prestigious thing in the world to have. We are really, really lucky.” The artist’s husband is descended from the second “free” Greek settler in Australia, John Peters (Ioannis Iakoumis), who landed in Sydney in 1838 and married an Irish woman with whom he had 16 children. He was a “boatman” on the Parramatta River before moving with his family to the “Bedervale” property near Braidwood, NSW, where he worked as a shepherd and gold prospector at nearby Little River.

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Bloomfield, Philippa (Pip) Turramurra NSW The artist is fourth generation Australian of English and Scottish descent. “Australia is unique and a diverse land – both its landscape and people make it so special to me. I see Australia as a land of colour, a land of deserts and plains, mountains, forests and oceans all with wonderful and strange flora and fauna. The colours of Australia are also the people. The Aboriginal people with their understanding of the land and their ancient culture. People from European countries, from Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East all bring their own vibrant colours of food, language and culture to make Australia the great nation it is today.”

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Boyton, Gwenda Tuross Head NSW The artist’s paternal ancestors came to Australia from Essex, England and from Dumfrieshire, Scotland, on her maternal side. Before recently retiring to the South Coast of NSW, the artist and her husband were farmers in SW NSW near Wagga Wagga. “The kangaroo represents the land and the dolphins the surrounding water. This makes us a free and complete country. I am lucky to live in this lovely country.

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Bray, Karina Lilyfield NSW “Free Speech” Artist dedicates her square to free speech. “I am glad to be a citizen of a country where we have the right to free speech. The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, reminded us of this right and how important it is, when he first came to power. Because in many countries people don’t have this right and they go jail for saying something wrong about politicians or religion.”

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Brown, Anne-Marie (Anna) Frenchs Forest The artist was born in England in 1953. She pays tribute to her parents who, in 1970, had the “courage to leave their home for a better life”. She grew up in Queensland with memories of “sun and surf, and wonderful holidays!” She now lives with her husband and two children in Sydney. “I became an Australian citizen in 1988, as an acknowledgement that this is my home. My small quilt [square] attempts to show the wonderful wide open spaces and colours of this beautiful country.”

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Bryce, Ellen Londonderry NSW The artist’s parents, Sara and Masan, fled their “beloved country” (former Yugoslavia) independently during World War II over the Velebit Mountains, eventually arriving in Egypt as refugees, where Masan joined the English Army. The pair met and married in Egypt and had two children by the end of the war, when they accepted Australia’s offer of a new beginning for their family. The couple went on to have four children, 13 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. “They are the legacy they leave to Australia in thanks for what Australia has given them – over 55 years of living with no fear for their freedom, their health and, in the end, their happiness. “Our parents never yearned to return home, they appreciated their new home and worked hard to provide for their family. They worked the land just as they had back home, but here they reaped more. They provided a home, an education and a safe environment for their children. “The quilt square shows Sara’s mountains, her cows and sheep, her water well at her home. Masan’s land in Zaton at the base of the mountains. Sara’s irises, planted on her mother’s grave 85 years ago (and still there), the pyramids of Egypt where they met and married, the offer of peace and the boat trip to Australia, the Kangaroo representing their Australian born children, their four children, and the beautiful flowers of Australia. “Sara is 91 years old and still enjoying being an Australian citizen. Thank you mum and dad, thank you Australia for inviting my parents to make Australia their home.”

ID163 ”The students in the square are my six grandchildren who share their Australian heritage with their multicultural background… The teacher is me.” – Catarina

ID164 Each year, the couple and their children, spent their summer vacations at Terrigal Beach, NSW. The “square” contributed by their children recalls the “surf, sand and endless happy days spent there. We are very proud to call Australia home and proud of our great nation.” – David, Ann-Marie, Brendan and Vanessa

Catanzariti, Caterina & Brendan Griffith NSW Catanzariti, David Jerabombera NSW Pages, Vanessa Leeton NSW Hillam, Ann-Marie Weipa QLD Caterina Catanzariti’s father was the first to arrive from Italy in Australia on 29 June 1949, establishing an orchard in Griffith with his brother. In 1952, when she was seven years old, she and her mother joined their father in Australia. “On the 11th of April 1955, my brother Pasquale was born, bringing much happiness to our family as my parents had lost two baby boys due to common childhood illnesses in Italy. My school days were very enjoyable and I was doing well [but] at the age of fourteen I was told by my father that I was to leave school because of our cultural traditions. Most girls from the same cultural background were not permitted to attend school beyond that age. After I left school I became a dressmaker and sewed until I got married. In 1964, she married Joe. Joe’s father had also come to Australia ahead of his family in 1949, with the rest of the family joining him in 1951. Joe was 15 when he arrived in Australia. He became an Australian citizen at 20, establishing a Real Estate Business by the age of 23. “I was very fortunate to have married my husband who was very liberal in his thinking and all our [two daughters and two sons] obtained university educations. We always encouraged our children to strive for high ideals. He also encouraged me to follow my own dream of one day completing my own education… In 1995, I graduated from University with a Bachelor of Education. For the past nine years I have been working as an ESL teacher at our local Catholic school, teaching English to migrant children. Thank you mum and dad for migrating to Australia and becoming Australian citizens, where your dream for a better future did come true!”

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Chapman, Barbara Granville NSW “The square … depicts the end of a hard day on the land where the horse is watering by the windmill prior to bedding down to recover for the next days work. The material around the end … represents the hard sun baked cracked earth of the drought.”

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Chapple, Jane Corrimal NSW No story provided.

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Covey, Danielle Beacon Hill Frenchs Forest Senior Guides No story provided.

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Daly, Lynne Harrington Park NSW The artist is fifth generation Australian, with her ancestors arriving by sea from England, Ireland and Wales in search of a new life. “I have travelled far and wide and am always proud to say ‘I’m Australian’! I hope future generations continue to appreciate what we have here, and look after our land, so that my offspring and theirs can enjoy Australia, its freedom and all its jewels.”

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Eames, Amelia Wahroonga NSW Wahroonga Guides “I moved to Sydney this year and transferred to Wahroonga Guides. I am 10 years old and have been a guide for four years. My mother has an apron with Australian wildflowers printed on it and we have the same material as curtains at our Guide Hut. The purple flower is my favourite and this is why I chose if for my patchwork. It blooms in Western Australia in the spring time”.

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Eldridge, Glad Nyngan NSW Nyngan Trefoil Guide “This is our land, Australia. These flowers are all God’s creation. How beautiful they all are – unique each one, just as we humans are… “I have lived in Nyngan in Western NSW all my life, and have always gathered the wild flowers every spring to make daisy chains… Even today I go and gather a bunch as they remind me of my childhood…”

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Evans, Helen & John Manildra NSW The artists are sheep farmers in the Central West region of New South Wales, with ancestors from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and Italy. “Our ancestors came looking for freedom in a new and better lifestyle. What courage and hope they showed. We hope their dreams were fulfilled as they gave our family the chance to enjoy this freedom and love for a wonderful country. We’re proud to be Australians: to be able to enjoy the blue sky with the warmth of the sun, clear starry nights, the welcome rains and the smell of the gums.”

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Fenton, Olga East Lindfield NSW “I made a quilt square using traditional elements of Kazakh ornaments. As well, I tried to be as accurate as possible with the traditional style of the local patchwork tapestry. Kazakhstan is a country of my origin.”

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Fleming, Vivien Port Macquarie NSW No story provided.

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Gatenby. Karla Turramurra NSW 3A Wahroonga Girl Guides “The platypus is our patrol symbol. The platypus is shy and likes to play in the water, just like me.”

ID047 Gibbs-Carson, Felicity Ulladulla NSW What it Means to be an Australian Citizen “I am a sixth generation Australian of English and Irish descent. Most of my ancestors came to New South Wales in the 1820s. Some were looking for a better life and some were convicts. “I was born in 1959 and I suppose that is when my Australian citizenship begins. I grew up in Orange on the Central Western Tablelands of NSW. Growing up in Australia in the 1960s was a very interesting time. I have a vivid memory of listening to the wireless reporting the disappearance of our then Prime Minister, Harold Holt. I remember watching the Moon landing in glorious black and white, and growing up listening to my parents reliving the horrors of ‘their war’, World War II. It didn’t seem long before our boys were off to Vietnam and my generation’s war. “ In my quilt I have tried to represent the memories that stand out the most to me as a child growing up in Australia. For breakfast every day my Dad made Uncle Toby’s Oats for my sister and I. He was hard working and loved our family and it was his way of helping Mum while she got ready for work.

“Dad would smother the porridge in brown sugar and full cream milk that was usually delivered in bottles every morning by a milkman to our door. Forty years later I still love porridge, but my poor sister turns pale when she thinks of it. She’s never eaten porridge again. “Billy tea also played a big part of our growing up in Australia. I had the most wonderful grandmother who made the best afternoon teas with fresh pikelets, strawberry jam and cream. Nan had a beautiful large pink teapot and I was always told ‘one spoonful of tea for each person and one for the pot’. Years later when Nan was very old and after the amazing invention of tea bags, that beautiful teapot sat on the side board in the ‘good room’. That’s where Nan kept her secret money. I remember Mum going to her on occasions when times were tough and there were bills to pay. Nan would quietly go to her teapot, take a note from it, and slip it into Mum’s hand. What would we have done without our Nan’s generosity? “Aeroplane Jelly was Mum’s favourite and she always made raspberry jelly for a special treat. Mum always tried so hard to make everything special when we were growing up. ‘Any colour, as long as it’s pink’, she would say. That went for food, clothes, or flowers, she just loved pink and she was wonderful. “These three very important people are gone now, but they will never be forgotten. They are the people who taught me what it is to be ‘Australian’. So what is so special about being an Aussie? I would have to say our loyalty, our generosity, our sense of humour, our fierce determination, our larrikinism, our sporting achievements, our fair play and always watching out for the under dog. We are so fortunate to live in this wonderful country. Our way of life and our history, born here or not, is what makes up proud Australians and we are all Australian.”

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Giblin, Sally St Ives NSW THE BEST MONEY I EVER SPENT WAS THE ₤10 IT COST ME TO EMIGRATE TO AUSTRALIA! “I arrived in Sydney, aged 22, on a very hot and humid 13th February 1973 wearing a sueded trouser suit, suede knee-high boots and socks, polo-neck sweater and vest (singlet) and waist length hair. To say I was a little warm was the understatement of the century! My lone journey took 54 hours, flying Qantas 747, from London via New York, San Francisco, Honolulu and Fiji – a route no longer taken by Qantas. I still have all the menus from the flight. “I was met by my Godmother… and the first meal she fed me was Seafood Paella … a meal I have never forgotten (some of the ingredients I had never heard about – let alone eaten!) My first surf experience was at Palm Beach, and being a typical lily-white POM, I was not a very good swimmer – and short-sighted to boot. The waves weren’t terribly big, but unfortunately for me they were “dumpers” and I was thoroughly initiated by being dumped when I unwisely turned my back to the sea. “As a fully qualified State Registered Nurse, I was employed as a Sister at the Royal North Shore Hospital. It was there that I met my husband to be … an Intern.. My wages were five times greater than my English salary and I was so shocked at my first pay, that I went to the finance Officer to query it … you see I was afraid they would take it all back the next week!”

Gilchrist, Anthea Cherrybrook NSW “Our Citizenship Day” The artist migrated with her family from South Africa and has incorporated a photograph of her Citizenship ceremony in her square for the Australian Citizenship Quilt, describing the day as “one of the happiest in their lives.”

ID089 “When we grew up we had the same kind of freedom that children have here. We could ride our bikes to the corner shop, we could play in the park, we could be out until dark, without fear. As time went on South Africa became an unsafe place to live. Crime rates soared, we couldn’t let our children out of our sight for a minute. We lived behind big fences and gates and had panic buttons and guns to protect ourselves and our home. Life became very stressful. We didn’t want our children growing up like that… We were so determined that Australia was going to be our home forever that we applied for our citizenship as soon as we were eligible. That day we took the oath was one of the happiest in our lives. We knew that from then on our children would have a brighter future and we could live a happier, safer life. We have never looked back and we never take for granted how lucky we are to live in such a wonderful country.”

Gras, Marlene Griffith NSW The artist has incorporated an historic photograph of her husband’s pioneer ancestors from Spain c1920 in her square. Her husband is descended from one of the first Spanish settlers and one of the earliest landholders in the Griffith area, Juan (John) Gras. He was the first of three brothers to arrive in Australia in 1906, with his siblings, Francisco (Frank), Sigismundo (Peter), joining him in 1911 along with a nephew, Jacinto.

ID151 “Peter brought with him his only child, son Jaime (Charlie) then 8 years old. Peter’s wife had died during childbirth. They all came from Villa de Fordera, Spain.” The brothers and Jacinto worked a vegetable lease in West Hurstville in Sydney, until identifying land in the Griffith area in NSW. “In 1916, John, Peter, Frank and Jacinto drew farms 16, 15, 2 and 1134 respectively… Living conditions were very primitive… Most people lived in ‘bag’ huts, hence the original town name ‘Bagtown’.” Jacinto passed away in 1920 aged 23 and his farm was sold. John, Peter and Frank all built houses on their farms after which they travelled back to Spain and returned with brides. Peter eventually moved back to Spain, leaving his son, Charlie, to take over the farm. “All members of the Gras family became naturalized Australian citizens.”

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Hale, Caitlin Wahroonga NSW 3A Wahroonga Guides (Aged 8) “Fish in the Great Barrier Reef” “One day I hope to go [to the Great Barrier Reef], swim with the fish and dive for a treasure chest.”

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Hansen, Jean East Gosford NSW” “Not an Alien” “I was five months old when war was declared in 1939. All I remember from England is the War, our house being bombed, food rationing … and moving house and school. “In April 1948, I sailed from England, aged nine years, on the SS Strathaird with my parents and brother. “In 1958 I married Arne, a Danish Australian, and we have five Australian sons, their Australian wives and now ten Australian grandchildren. In 1966 when I was going to renew my passport I decided I didn’t want to be the only non-Australian in the family because when you come back to Australia you have to go through the Alien’s gate and I didn’t feel like an Alien.”

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Hendricks, Anna Gordon NSW 3A Wahroonga Guides “Southern Cross” “I chose to do the Southern Cross because it is the symbol on our flag and we are learning the names of the stars at our guide meeting.”

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Howard, Yvonne Urunga NSW No story provided.

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Hyde, Janet Niagara Park NSW “I Love a Sunburnt Country” by Dorothea McKellar “I learnt ‘My Country’ back in the 1960s in Primary School and have always loved it.”

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Kelly, Sheila Kirrawee NSW No story provided.

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Kitto, Marina Rockdale NSW “Kiwi Forest Meets Aussie Outback” No story provided.

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Kleinschafer, Sister Mary East Maitland NSW “Proud to be an Australian” No story provided.

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Lemin, Jean Cooranbong NSW “Lamingtons” The artist and her husband, both nurses, migrated to Australia from the United Kingdom in 1978 with their two sons. The artist had worked in Ethiopia for four years in the 1950s before her marriage, and returned for a further period as a missionary nurse with her husband after their marriage. “My husband tells the story that we came to Australia because of Lamingtons. It goes like this: “We were living in Liverpool, England, and we were invited to a doctor’s house for tea one Sunday afternoon in 1975. The couple were both Australian doctors and had children about the same age as ours. Part of the tea included these delicious chocolate and coconut covered sponge-like cakes. [My husband] asked what they were and our hostess was surprised that we did not know they were Lamingtons. ‘Well’, he said, ‘I will come to tea every Sunday for these.’ ‘No you won’t,’ she said. ‘You will have to come to Australia before you get these again.’ Three years later we were in Australia and we just love it and our sons think it was the best thing we ever did for them. And yes, our hostess in Liverpool did give us Lamingtons when we visited them in Sydney after we had migrated to Australia.”

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Lever, Leonie Keiraville NSW The artist was born in Wollongong where she works as a Geography teacher. “Wollongong has become a very multicultural city due to many migrant coming to Australia to work in the steelworks at Port Kembla… I have studied and travelled to many countries around the world but I think Australia is still the best place in the world to live.”

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Levey, Catherine Braidwood NSW The artist arrived from Scotland as a 13 year old in 1950 with her mother, father and four brothers and sisters to the promise of work at an outback station out of Brisbane which had “nominated” the family. The artist went on to marry and have four children. “After a three-day journey by train, we arrived in the middle of nowhere at a railway siding. All our goods and chattels were dumped out with all seven of us. We waited over an hour for someone to turn up – we were hot, sticky and dirty. A truck arrived and all of us kids sat in the back of the truck with our luggage – Mum and Dad in the front. Forty minutes later we were at the property. “Us kids were fascinated by it all – men on horses. Mum and Dad and all of us went in the back door to meet the boss who told us that the house they had for us had burnt down and my older sister would be going to Katherine to be a maid – my brother would stay and help at the station with Mum and Dad and us three younger ones would be sent back to Brisbane to boarding school. “My 5’1” mother just asked when the next train would be coming through and the next day we were dumped at the siding to await the train. People from all over the region came and offered my mother and father work and to give us accommodation. We met truly wonderful Australians, but Mum and Dad said ‘no’ that we would go back to Brisbane and start a new life there where we could finish our education and get good jobs. That was 55 years ago. “I am a quilter, gardener and reader. I love my country.”

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Lima, Teresa Rosemeadow NSW “Migrating from Uruguay, South America, in 1977 the only visions we had of our new intended home were the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, thanks to a picture on the wall in the capital, Montevideo. “This was all that we knew about where we were going, but after 28 years, my family and I know that Australia is much more than that. It is a beautiful country which we are proud to call home and proud to be Australian citizens.”

Constructing quilt squares ID203, 204 & 205 Photo: Courtesy NSW Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre Arabic Playgroup

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Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre, NSW Arabic Playgroup Families who attend this group have children under the age of five, living in Green Valley or surrounding areas. They include Australian/Kuwaiti ,Australian/Pakistani and Australian/Fijian families. With the help of Arabic speaking local artists, the families worked together to contribute a series of three “squares” for the Australian Citizenship Quilt.

New Bride One day while I was walking on one of Sydney’s

beaches I remembered the wedding ceremonies in Pakistan

how the bride sits on a camel with colourful curtains around her

and is taken to the couple’s new home. With this beautiful memory

I feel that I am that bride, with all the new possibilities opening up before her.

The purity of the Australian ocean symbolises the bad experiences of my past being cleansed away.

Like a new bride I can start a new life.

I am a new bride everyday in my new country

Australia.

The Coconut Coconut, brown, white and pure water.

A present sent to me by my cousin from Australia. I was a child at the time.

I spent a long time looking at it before I opened it and decided that my dream was inside it. A dream to be where my cousin lives

Australia - brown coconut, white hearts and pure relationships between people.

Australia’s Sun

As I walked I felt the sunshine on my skin. The Australian sun goes inside my body, washes my

soul with her bright light. Makes me whiter and lighter.

Gives me the energy to live in this beautiful land, and take all the advantages it offers to me.

Carrying inside of me the most beautiful bright sun, Australian sun.

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Lloyd, Sue Lismore Heights Guide Leader NSW No story provided.

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Long, Elizabeth Green Point NSW The artist arrived in Australia in 1947 in the ship “Johann De Witt” from the Netherlands with her Dutch-born father and German-born mother. The family settled in Bronte and became Australian citizens in 1956. “We settled quickly into the hot weather climate and outdoor living, enjoying surfing, campaign, bushwalking and Christmas picnics. We were introduced to pikelets, peanut butter, vegemite and baked beans… Sometimes I feel more ‘Aussie’ than my Australian born friends, but I will always love ‘wog tucker’. “My square represents a contemporary windmill. (Australia is planning many windmills to harness wind power for clean energy). In Aboriginal ‘dot art’ – the colours are for bushfires, ocean and bushland.” In 2001 the artist became involved in the Centenary of Federation “Peoplescape” exhibition in Canberra in which 4,000 figures were displayed. In 2003 she was rewarded for her efforts with the Centenary Medal for Service to the Community. “What a privilege to live in this marvellous country.”

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Lovett, Patricia Nyngan NSW No story provided.

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Lucas, Judy Roseville NSW Frenchs Forest Senior Guides No story provided.

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Magree, Mardi Faulconbridge NSW No story provided.

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Mason, Kathy Narrabeen NSW “The Best Thing in my Life” “In 1969 most young people from New Zealand travelled to Britain for their great adventure. To be different, I decided to go to Canada, via Sydney, which I’d never before visited. I arrived here in early December, fell in love in January and was engaged in March and married my Aussie bloke [John] in January 1972… In 1988, he passed away. The best thing and the worst thing in my life happened here. Within twelve months of John’s death I became a proud Aussie. … and yes I finally made it to Canada in 2001.”

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Masters, Jean Coorabong NSW 2265 From designs by Margaret Rolfe No story provided.

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McAllister, Hannah Normanhurst NSW 3A Wahroonga Guides “The koala is my patrol symbol. The koala is a marsupial and eats certain types of eucalyptus leaves. They are not easy to see in the trees.”

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McGann, Barbara Gordon NSW “The Family Bible & The Sturt Desert Pea” The artist is a fifth generation Australian, with three children and five grandchildren. Her ancestor, Mary Ann Lewis, migrated to Australia in 1834. “When she arrived in Sydney she was only 18. She was an educated woman and worked as a nurserymaid in Parramatta. Her son’s birth in 1836 made him a first generation born Australian. “Mary Ann recorded his birth date in her Bible. This tradition was carried on by his wife, who recorded the births of their seven children in the Bible. “They lived in Rawsonville on a property they called ‘Mt Druitt’. My grandmother, the eleventh child of their second son Henry, was raised by her grandparents after her mother died giving birth to her third set of twins. The eldest child was ten. “The family Bible was passed to her and she gave me the Bible before her death. I am the keeper of a small part of Australian history. “I chose to do the Sturt Desert Pea as they are delicate but hardy plants, just like the children of my ancestors. The plant has a spreading nature, and I feel that this plant typifies the growth of my family. From one small child the family has spread and multiplied across this wonderful country we call Australia.”

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McGregor, Helen Kellyville NSW “2005: The Year of My Australian Citizenship” The artist arrived in Australia from the United States in the 1960s. “After 38 years as a permanent resident, I became a citizen on Australia Day, to the cheers of my Australian husband and children. It was a very moving experience as approximately 1,200 of us recited our Pledge at Olympic Park in Sydney. From all the lands on Earth we came and sang with one voice. We are Australians! My Australian tree is growing well. “My quilt block uses the traditional log cabin design to symbolise that my heartland is built upon the solid foundation of my Pennsylvanian heritage, interlocked with my Australian heritage.”

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McKenna, Lily Toongabbie NSW 1st Labour Park Gumnut Guides No story provided.

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McLeod, Jill Braidwood, NSW “Sheep Wheat & Gold” The artist dedicates her square to honour her father’s pioneer ancestors who arrived in the Barraba district of NSW in the 1800s from England. “One of our family’s prized possessions is a book of foldout maps on canvas depicting various parts of the coastline of Australia with only the minimum of detail. The date on the inside front cover is 1839. “The family took up land on the Manilla River and raised sheep and grew wheat. They also found gold on the land … “The name of the property was ‘Barraba Station’ and has been occupied to this day by direct descendents of the original pioneer family. “My block represents the farmland, sheep, wheat and the metallic thread represents the gold.”

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Miles, Ann Old Toongabbie, NSW Greater Parramatta Region Guides No story provided.

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Mills, Elizabeth Ulladulla NSW “Arriving in Sydney in early 1970, from California, I was dazzled by the beautiful clear blue skies and waters of Australia. The Opera House was being constructed and soon became my favourite visiting place. My Australian husband and I were married nearby and had our wedding photographs taken on the front steps. Since then we have enjoyed many operas, concerts, ballets and the restaurants at the Opera House. There’s no time or place better to have a glass of champagne than during a concert intermission overlooking the harbour on a starry night.”

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Mirek, Letitia A. Lewisham NSW The artist arrived in Australia from the Netherlands on 14 December 1961. “Arriving in Sydney Harbour … on a bright, sunny day was a good start for somebody fleeing cold grey clouds and an atmosphere of hopelessness that was prevalent in Holland, as in the rest of Europe, at that time. “It was not long after that I heard the infectious laughter of a kookaburra for the first time. It personified for me what I like so much about Australia almost right from the start: an irreverence and light heartedness, a relaxed she’ll-be-right-Jack attitude… “Living abroad for differing periods of time in the course of my work I found nowhere better to live – this is home! On 9 February 1967, I and quite a few other people, became naturalised in a wonderful ceremony in Randwick Town Hall – the culmination of a decision to throw in my lot with that of all other Australians, as well as saying THANK YOU for making us feel welcome.”

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Moffet, Kte Turramurra NSW 3A Wahroonga Guides (Age 12) “Our patrol is called ‘Lorikeets’ after the beautiful green birds that fly around our suburb. I chose to do a patchwork of the lorikeets as I enjoy feeding the wild birds when they come to our backyard.”

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Morris, Caitlin Wahroonga NSW 3A Wahroonga Guides (Age 9) “The Trefoil is our Girl Guide symbol. I wear the Trefoil badge on the left side collar of my shirt when I go to public meetings.”

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Muir, Barbara Marayong NSW The artist migrated to Australia from the UK with her husband and three children in 1970. They bought a house (the great Australian dream) in 1973 and took out Australian citizenship in 1987. “I am a descendant of Mathew Flinders, my mother’s name was Flinders, but we didn’t realise how widespread his presence was in Australia until we came here. “We have had a good life here and although we have been back to the UK four times to visit relatives, the best part of the journey is when the plane touches down in Sydney and we know we are home. This is a great place to live.”

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Pages, Vanessa Leeton NSW See: Catanzariti, Caterina NSW

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Pardy, Yvonne Nyngan NSW Trefoil Guild (Past Guides/Guide Leaders) “I love a sunburnt country” “I was born and have lived all my life in a small country town in central NSW. My dad was the local electrician who was kept busy when the 240 volt mains electricity came to our area. As a youngster I travelled many miles with him, enjoying the wide brown landscape which spread before me. I have always loved this part of the country. The green of the coastal strip is nice for a change, but I really love to come back to this ‘Sunburnt Country’.”

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Patel, Dami Ingleburn NSW “Freedom from Poverty” The artist was born in Africa where she became a qualified registered nurse. She moved to India on marrying her Indian-born husband, and the couple had one daughter. They struggled to survive and raise her in India. Later, the artist migrated to Australia where she began a career with the Macarthur Health Service in NSW. “If only we could go to some foreign country to start again and I was the only gate way to everyone’s freedom from poverty... A decision was made and I migrated to Australia.”

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Perry, Monica Green Point NSW “Crossroads” The artist was born in England where her interest in one day visiting Australia was fuelled by a relationship with a penfriend she found through the Girl Guides. She arrived in Australia as part of a world holiday in 1969. “I met my husband and we decided Australia would become home. The friendliness of the people and the diversity of their cultures were a major factor in my decision. Of course the climate, the beauty of the flora and fauna and the unbelievable outback scenery had a positive influence. “As the children grew up, we had numerous family visits to England. As time went on it became very apparent that Australia really was home to us all. “In 2000, the year one of our daughters got married, my husband and I decided to become Australian citizens … another crossroads in our lives had been reached. It was a very important step for us to take and much discussion took place. It is a decision neither of us has regretted and our citizenship ceremony took place at the right time in our lives. “The green and yellow fabrics represent Australia’s national colours. The Union Jacks are there to depict my British heritage and the Southern Crosses were selected to depict my country of choice. Being a citizen of Australia is a privilege I cherish and not one I take for granted.”

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Power, Julie Grafton NSW “Jacaranda” The artist arrived in Sydney as a six year old with her family in December 1970 after a six week voyage from England aboard the ‘Fairstar’. The family first lived in Merrylands, before building a house at Marayong. The artist married in 1985, eventually moving to her husband’s family home in Grafton, NSW. “I have lots of happy memories of growing up in Australia, like learning to swim in my uncle’s above ground swimming pool, swinging around the clothes line with my friends and learning the Australian language. “My girls have been lucky enough to grow up in a wonderful town with an extended family that they love all round them. I have never regretted that my family chose to move to this country. I consider myself one of the lucky ones.”

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Procopis, Dianne Davidson, NSW The artist was born in New Zealand and migrated to Australia with her parents and siblings at the age of 11 in 1964. “My paternal grandfather was of Scottish origin and came to Australia during the gold rush. He served Australia in the Boer War as a Sergeant in the 1st Tasmanian Light Horse Brigade. When discharged he travelled to New Zealand where he met and married my grandmother. My grandmother was born in Loen, Victoria to Scottish parents. The family moved on to New Zealand. My father having brought us to Australia – like a boomerang we returned. “I married a migrant from the island of Kefallonia in Greece, who came to Australia as a 17 year old in 1949. We are both naturalised Australians and are proud to be so, ever grateful to live in the ‘Lucky Country’.”

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Reeds, Jo Penrith NSW The artist and her husband flew from the UK to Australia with their four children on 27 July 1968 as “ten pound Poms”. “We were taken to Cabramatta Hostel where we were to spend our first year on Australian soil. As we did not know a soul in Australia this was a great benefit to us as migrants. We made some wonderful friends there, as we were all in the same boat, struggling to make a life for our young families. We had been told the prospects for young families were so much better here and that has certainly proven to be true. “Now 37 years later all six of us are very proud to be Australian citizens. Our family has grown: our four children have all married, so we now have two daughters-in-law and two sons- in- law and eight delightful grandchildren, who are now spread around this beautiful state of NSW. “Since retiring in 1999, we have bought a caravan and can now enjoy travelling around this beautiful, vast adopted country and we are proud to say ‘we call Australia home’.”

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Rigg, Judy Berry NSW “Sydney Harbour Bridge” The Sydney Harbour Bridge was the reason my family came to Australia. My father, Harry Brand, lived in Middlesbrough, UK… and was employed by Dorman & Long to help make two of the large pivot bolts at the base of the Harbour Bridge pylons. Due to their enormous size and weight, a crane had to be used to manoeuvre them during manufacture. Dad developed a great interest in the bridge and a determination to see the finished product. After marrying in his twenties and raising two children, the family migrated to Australia in 1957 under the Assisted Passage Scheme. “We were sponsored by BHP. A telegram greeted our arrival in Melbourne, stating that employment was no longer available. We put our hold luggage back on board the ship and continued on to Sydney and were transported by bus to the Heathcote Road Hostel, a disused army camp at East Hill, NSW. Employment was immediately available for Dad and my brother, Edward, in the engineering trade.” Before retiring to Berry NSW, the artist worked in the health sector, and continues to do much work in a volunteer capacity. “Volunteer work is my way of showing appreciation for being given the wonderful opportunity of living in the best country in the world – Australia.”

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Selby-Morton, Anne Port Macquarie NSW The artist is a fourth generation Australian, born in Hay NSW. Her square of Sydney Harbour Bridge is inspired by the painter, Blamirc Young.

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Stacey, Gail Cranbrook NSW The artist is a sixth generation Australian of English, Irish, Norwegian and German ancestry. Her earliest ancestor to arrive in Australia was a convict sent out from Ireland in 1826 for stealing a sheep to feed his family. His daughter married a convict guard and they were among the earliest settlers to arrive in Wagga Wagga, NSW, in 1849. The artist’s great grandfather was a ships cook from Norway who arrived in Australia in 1866 with his Irish wife who he married in Boston, USA, en route to Australia. Their daughter settled in Wagga Wagga as well in 1892. “I was born and spent my formative years in Wagga Wagga where I spent many happy hours playing the bush among the gum trees on the hill near our home “Australia is represented in my mind by the scent and rustle of the leaves in those memorable childhood days. So my quilt is a simple design representing gum leaves against a background of our golden brown sunburnt country. The blue border reminds me that Australia is an island surrounded by oceans and the most beautiful beaches in the world… “I am married to a first generation Australian who arrived with his parents as a migrant from Britain in 1959. We have four children and seven grandchildren. We are all very proud Australians and thankful to live in such a beautiful and free country.”

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Sutton, Judith A Palm Beach NSW “The first glimpse of the mighty liner made my heart jump. Never had I envisaged anything so large or imagined that it could actually float. As we slowly passed through Custom’s Hall from one table to the other, we finally crossed the quay where the mighty vessel totally overshadowed us. A royal Navy band began to play and continued to play until we sailed an hour later. The gangplank looked small and steep. Sailors greeted us and offered to carry our bags up to the cabin, listed as ‘A Deck, 6 berth cabin with Porthole’… “The black and white MV Georgic was on its second-last trip to Australia carrying 2,000 migrants and a crew of 500… At 6am on Friday 13 May 1949 we sailed slowly into wonderful Sydney Harbour, docking at Pier 7, Woolloomooloo. “Almost 20 years after the day of arrival, I became an Australian citizen in the Council Chambers of the City of Wagga Wagga. By that time I had qualified as a teacher, met and married a seventh generation Australian architect and become the mother of three beautiful little Australians. All the benefits that my parents hoped for their children became reality and a new generation was born.”

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Thomas, Elizabeth Mayfield NSW No story provided.

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Thorpe, Suzanne & Leon (Dr) Griffith NSW The Changing Face of Oz

Australian citizenship is really quite a prize

Folk of other nations look with envious eyes Those guilty of a felony either small or great

Were sent to found a colony, the start of a new State

Son and father shipped in chains to the far side of the earth

Leaving wife and nine kids in the country of their birth Before they left old England

they heard John Wesley preach So in their Dural orchard his message they did teach

Free settlers joined the convicts

to make our country great They helped each other through hard times

and called each other mate At evening in the orchard shed the migrant Cossacks danced

And joined in British singing Each culture was enhanced

A young man from the goldfields, in Sydney for a trip

Saw a lady bound for Melbourne So he climbed aboard the ship

Persistence won the lady’s heart, Helped find the “Welcome” gold

But many shared the nugget’s wealth so just small shares we’re told

Following generations had various careers

Curators, clerks and lawyer have followed down the years

Both clans met in Sydney but as crowds got them down One couple thought it best

to leave the city for the town They built out where the dusty street had not been

tarred as yet And like the other folks in town

Knew everyone they met Now they wouldn’t know the place or people not

because A hundred different races find their home in good old

Oz

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Turner, Stephanie Peakhurst NSW “My favourite place in Australia is Sydney Harbour. The fabric I have used in my squares is a dress fabric I bought years ago and have saved the off cuts for something special. This project seems to be the perfect opportunity.”

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Urquart, Elsa Dural NSW The artist arrived from the Netherlands in 1959 as a ten year old with her parents, brother and sister. “We arrived in Sydney in November, a very hot day felt even more so after leaving Amsterdam on a chilly October morning. The sea journey took six weeks as we travelled through Panama City, we saw people and places one could only imagine. From that day our lives were irrevocably changed. Not only did our journey take us thousands of miles away from our birthplace, but the country, language and culture had changed from something familiar, to a place and a way of life that at the time seemed so strange and foreign. “This country became MY COUNTRY and I love it with the strength and passion of an Australian-born. In my early twenties I married a wonderful Australian man and we had five children and now have five grandchildren. I became an Australian citizen in the mid-70s when my children were born. I found it only fitting to become a citizen of a country, its people and a way of life I had grown to love. To me it means a sense of belonging and continuation that also has an impact on my children and theirs. It means a willingness to work towards a common goal, and that is a commitment toward the common good of the country that in return benefits our children. It gives them the privilege to live in a prosperous and democratic country, where hard work and commitment is well rewarded. “Being a new Australian citizen is definitely more than just a certificate. It is a whole new way of life. A wonderful way of life.”

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Vukoja, Durdica Fairfield NSW

To You My Land

To you my land saviour, I write these words You took me in your embrace

After many years of misery, despair Good Lord heard my prayers

I prayed for you my land

For far away land, to forget my sorrow For Australia, my true ardent, desired

In two years of prayers and hope I was sent to you

Yet another two I’ve spent in the warmth of your arms

You accepted me for eternity Peace and freedom prevail in you

My tired arms I open wide In desire to wholly embrace you

I am happy, so happy and live in tranquillity

Thank you almighty God And you, Australia dear land

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Wall, Shirla Dubbo NSW “A Journey to Australian Citizenship” “I grew up in Singapore and had no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I met an ex-patriot English family who I got to know very well. They asked me if I wanted to be their live-in nanny for their children whilst there were living and working in Singapore. I thought this a good idea, as I wanted to help develop children as individuals through music, creativity, arts and craft and multi-linguistics, as I speak four Asian languages myself. I discovered I had a hidden talent for connecting with young children. “I was asked to travel to Australia with the English family after the husband was transferred to Sydney with his job. My first impressions of this new country were of the beautiful native flora and fauna, which were in abundance everywhere. I was also impressed with the multiculturalism I found and people’s tolerance of different races. “My two most memorable experiences were of “Rocky Road’ chocolate, and the first time I saw a road sign saying ‘Beware of Kangaroos’. I thought they were in every street I travelled down. “Looking at both sides of the coin, I am very lucky to have two homes – one in Singapore and the other Australia – knowing that I could keep my own heritage intact I chose my own destiny. I married my husband Michael in July 1995. He is an ambulance officer and we have chosen to make our home in Dubbo in Central NSW. I have since completed a TAFE course in childcare and am now a pre school teacher.”

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Watson, Elizabeth Cooma NSW & Gray, Eileen Mawson ACT “The Two Sisters” The artists fled Shanghai, China, with their mother for Australia ahead of the Japanese invasion in October 1941. Their father, a British citizen, was captured, tortured and interned by the Japanese for the duration of the Second World War. After a period as war time refugees in Australia, the sisters returned with their mother to China in 1946, but the family fled again in the midst of the Communist Revolution in 1949, arriving in Australia on Australia Day 1949. “Over the years we have lived here we have enjoyed the beauties of this country, its many opportunities for all and the freedom of speech. My sister is especially interested in conserving the environment, while I have spent my life making the most of the musical opportunities afforded to me. While I share my sister’s love of nature, my great love of music has been the motivating force in my life… “This country has so much to offer those who are prepared to seize its opportunities and use their own inborn talents to make the country richer for all. As Australian citizens we have never been idle and by dint of hard work have carved out our own niches for ourselves and our children and grandchildren. Our parents eventually loved this country and died happy knowing they had given much of themselves and shared all that the country had to offer.”

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Weatherstone, June Braidwood, NSW The artist’s great grandfather was a free settler from Scotland who came to take up farming in the Braidwood district, where her family has been ever since. “My grandfather was a teamster. He hauled goods and supplies up the Clyde Mountain from Nelligen to Braidwood. My father bred superfine Merinos; my mother was a passionate gardener.” The artist dedicates her “square” to her daughter-in-law, Olivia. “[Olivia, a] Singaporean-born Chinese came into my family with many gifts. First and foremost two gorgeous little girls… She introduced us to new taste delights such as steamboat, ‘gado gado’, laksa, rojak to name a few… My meagre studies of Chinese art had not given me any insight into Chinese beliefs and culture. My daughter-in-law has expanded my knowledge and understanding of Chinese customs and has also introduced me to the many myths and legends of that ancient country… “The central motif is the Merlion, the Symbol of Singapore looking a little foreign sitting among the kangaroos, but they are getting on well together. The sheep are for my father, the flowers for my mother who could grow pansies as big as saucers in very tough conditions.”

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Weedon, Heather Point Clare NSW No story provided.

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The artist on the voyage from England to Australia aboard the Mooltan in 1949 with her parents and baby brother.

Becoming an Australian citizens on 27 May 1988 at Blacktown Civic Hall, NSW

White, Carole Saratoga NSW “On the 20th May 1943 I was born at my mother’s parents’ home in London in the front room during an air raid. The family had pushed the piano in front of my mother while she was in labour so if the bombs shattered the front windows, the glass would not fall on her. Thus the family saying, ‘Carole was born behind the piano’. “My journey towards Australian citizenship started when my father was stationed in Australia; serving in the British Navy during the war … He fell in love with the environment and the people. When the war was over he returned to England and tried to persuade my mother to start a new life in Australia. When my brother was born six weeks premature, doctors advised that this would be a good move to help the tiny baby to thrive, so in May 1949 my parents, younger brother and myself migrated to Australia. My mother came from a large extended family, being one of 12 children. On the trip over she became very sea sick, and for many years suffered severe homesickness, missing her family very much. As for myself, being so young (I turned six on the ship going through the Suez Canal) I had no memory of England at all. So as I grew and developed over the years I accepted Australia as my homeland. “My parents had a third child in Australia – a boy. He always reminded us that he was the only true Ozzie in the family. Over the years I addressed the subject of becoming a naturalised Australian many times, but my parents became so upset and claimed I was ashamed of my English heritage, so I would let the matter go in respect for them. Then in 1988, the Bicentenary, at the age of 45 I decided it was time. I explained to my parents, that when you bring young children to another country to live, you have to accept that is going to be their home. So I became a naturalised Australian. I love this wonderful country and I am very proud to be an Australian citizen. When my mother passed away, I kept my promise to her and took her ashes back to England to be placed in her mother’s grave. It was great to meet my extended family at last, and to see England and all its history but to use Peter Allen’s words, ‘I still call Australia Home’.”

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Wiencke, Edna Wagga Wagga NSW No story provided.