what impacts has immigration had on australia?

Produced by Ryebuck Media for the National Museum of Australia

What impacts has immigration had on Australia?

✈Exploring the story of immigration in the National Museum of Australia’s Horizons Gallery

What impacts has immigration had on Australia?The National Museum of Australia and the Horizons Gallery

Written by Robert LewisTim GurryDavid Arnold

ISBN 0-949380-34-2

©2001National Museum of AustraliaPhone (02) 6208 5119Fax (02) 6208 5198Website www.nma.gov.au

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Hot-air cabinet used inexperiments at theAustralian Institute ofTropical Medicine inTownsville in use 1919.National Museum ofAustralia.

Cartoon predicting thatrabbits would replacesquatters and sheep by1988 1887. Bulletin.National Library ofAustralia.

Self-published poster 1908.By William Rodier. Donatedby A Reeves. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Portrait of Lê Thành Nhón,about 1990 by ReimundZunde. National Museum of Australia.

Lê Thành Nhón’s Melbourneand Metropolitan TramwaysBoard Uniform (raincoatand belt) in use 1970son loan from Lê Thành Nhón

Juanita. Sanctuary AVDisplay 2001. TVU

Arrival of Barbara Porritt,the millionth migrant 1955.Department of Immigrationand Multicultural Affairs.

Tuberculin syringe 1954.Donated by CSIRO Wildlifeand Ecology.

Chlorofume exhaustfumigator 1949. Developedby Ed Davidson, Millicent,South Australia. Donated byCSIRO wildlife and Ecology.National Museum ofAustralia.

Steel-jaw rabbit trap in use1930s. Donated by RolfeBridle. National Museum ofAustralia.

Rabbit radio-tracking collar1990s. Donated by PestAnimal Control CooperativeResearch Centre. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Section of the No. 1 rabbit-proof fence, Meekatharra,Western Australia1902–1908. Donated byKevin Marney. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Wangkangurru rabbit-furheaddress 1920s. From Lake Eyre region, north-eastSouth Australia. Donated by George Horne. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Wangkangurru men wearingcharpoo headdress 1920s.By G Aiston. From SavageLife in Central Australia,1924. National Library ofAustralia.

Snake story fromKarrinyarra 1978. By OldMick Tjakamarra. FromPapunya, Central Australia.Donated by R G Kimber.National Museum ofAustralia.

Rabbits in transit to freezingworks, Cowra, New SouthWales 1949. State Library ofNew South Wales.

Juozas Stepanas’ rabbit-furfelt hat 1949. Made byRoleigh Hats. Donated byTony Stepanas. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Prime Minister Ben Chifleyand Minister forImmigration Arthur Calwellgreet a party of Britishbuilders in Sydney January1947. Department ofImmigration andMulticultural Affairs.

Wheel from the restoredHong Hai 1970s. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Binoculars about 1975.National Museum ofAustralia.

Replica of the shrine to BaCau that stood on the HongHai 2000. National Museumof Australia.

Blouse and pants about1978. Australian NationalMaritime Museum.

Grave marker from TorrensIsland Quarantine Station,Adelaide 1919. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Metal canister used forfumigating mail sent to andfrom the Torrens IslandQuarantine Station, Adelaide1950s–1960s. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Rifle date unknown. NationalMuseum of Australia.

The Jubilee Memorial Fundfor Mothers and Babies1937. National Archives ofAustralia.

Millions Magazine 1922. By the Millions Club of New South Wales. NationalLibrary of Australia.

2. Manual hair clippers1920s–1940s; 3. Groomingbrush 1920s–1940s; 4. Scissors 1920s–1940s.Donated by Vincenza Dublé.National Museum ofAustralia.

Cloth badges and stickers1980s. Donated by the St George Budapest SoccerClub. National Museum ofAustralia.

1. Australian passport 1934;2. Australian passport 19363. Australian passport about1950; 4. Australian passportabout 1952; 5. Australianpassport about 1969.National Museum ofAustralia.

Cappelluti document 1962.Donated by Rosa Cappelluti.National Museum ofAustralia.

Certificate 1931. Producedby the CommonwealthGovernment of Australia.National Archives ofAustralia.

Sink Them poster 1995.Made by National Action.National Museum ofAustralia.

‘All Eyes on Australia’ fromMillions Magazine, 1921.National Library of Australia.


Dictation test passage 1936.Produced by theCommonwealth Governmentof Australia. NationalArchives of Australia.

Vin’s Place, Coburg 1937.Donated by Vincenza Dublé,National Museum ofAustralia.

Vincenzo Dublé’sidentification photographdate unknown. Donated byVincenza Dublé. NationalMuseum of Australia.

1. Dentist tools 1920s 2. Syringe 1920s. Donatedby Vincenza Dublé. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Quong Tart in Mandarinregalia about 1900. On loanfrom Lois McEvoy.

Door plaque in use1880s–1890s. On loan fromLois McEvoy.

Quong tart and someemployees outside histearooms about 1900. Onloan from Lois McEvoy.

Photographs taken by George Serras, National Museum ofAustralia, unless otherwise indicated.

© National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd 2001 1

Curriculum Guide:Student Learning Outcomes

This article is useful in exploring aspects of Time, continuityand change, Culture, Natural and social systems and Placeand space. By the end of this article students will be betterable to achieve these learning outcomes:Time, continuity and change• Understand some of the major events, people and

developments in Australian history;• identify some key forces for change and continuity.Culture• Analyse different attitudes to and impacts of immigration

on national identity and citizenship;• analyse the contributions of people from different

countries to developing multiculturalism as a key featureof Australian civic identity.

Natural and social systems• Critically analyse who has and who has not been included

in definitions of Australian citizenship over time.Place and space• Analyse attitudes to and impacts of introduced species

and ideas on the environment;• identify a range of ideas over time about Australia’s

ecological sustainability and preferred population size.

Time, continuity and change • Place and space • Culture Natural and social systems (‘Discovering Democracy’ and ‘Civics and Citizenship’)

What impacts hasimmigration had on Australia?

Exploring the story of immigration in the National Museum of Australia’s Horizons Gallery

The National Museum of Australia seeks to tell Australia’s story.

One of the most significant aspects of Australia’s history isimmigration and the story of the impacts of newcomers on theexisting Australian society. Most of the National Museum of Australia’sobjects and displays relating specifically to immigration are in theMuseum’s Horizons Gallery, though there is evidence about thetheme in each of the other galleries.

How can the objects and displays in the National Museum ofAustralia help us to understand the impacts of immigration?

A ‘mystery object’Look at this ‘mystery object’ – it is ondisplay in the Horizons Gallery, andhas something to do with the storyof immigration in Australia.

See if you can decide what theobject is, and what it might have to do with immigration.

Here are some questions to ask of the object that might help youmake a decision:

• How would you describe it?• What is it made from?• What is its size?• Is it like anything you are

familiar with?• How might it work?

You will be able to check youranswers later in this unit.

Exploring the storiesIn the following pages you will find some of the objects on display in the HorizonsGallery of the National Museum of Australia,starting with some stories of people, andthen organised around a number of differentthemes relating to immigration that thestories raise: Immigration and . . .

➤ a White Australia – who should beencouraged to come to Australia? Who would be refused, and why?

➤ national identity and citizenship – what are the elements that make up an Australian identity?

➤ the ‘populate or perish’ philosophy –what is Australia’s optimum populationsize?

➤ the economy – what are economicactivities that immigrants undertake, and what are their impact on others?

➤ the environment – what changes to theenvironment does immigration cause?

You could divide into groups, with eachgroup choosing one of the themes, andbeing responsible for presenting a report on it to the whole class.

The National Museum of Australia opened in March 2001 as part of the celebrations for theCentenary of Federation. The museum employs afresh and exciting approach to Australian history,culture and environment.

Each National Museum unit of work asks studentsto consider the stories and concepts behindmuseum themes, objects and images and is idealfor students of SOSE, History, Geography, Englishand Media Studies.

2 © National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd 2001

1 Look at these stories and decide:

• what aspects of Australia’s immigration story each tells us;• what major impacts they suggest immigration might have

had.

For example. You may decide that the story of the Lê ThànhNhón tells us something about Australia as a refuge forpersecuted and endangered people; and that this experienceraises issues about the economic impacts of refugees on thenation, and their impacts on social attitudes through culturaldiversity.

Use the table on page 3 to summarise your ideas.

some people’s storiesImmigration and

Lê Thành Nhón

Lê Thành Nhón fled Vietnam in 1975, leaving behind manyyears of artistic achievement.He took jobs as a spray painterand tram conductor inMelbourne. Eventually hereturned to his art. Lê’s life hasturned full circle. To use his ownwords, he sculpts the sorrow of broken lives.

Barbara Porritt

Australia celebrated the arrivalof the millionth postwar migrant,Barbara Porritt, a 21-year-oldwho came from England toAustralia in 1955. A newlywed,she represented youth, beautyand promise for the future.

Juanita

As a seventeen year old studentactivist Juanita was ‘politely’asked to leave Chile by the newmilitary government in 1973.Faced with the choice of a trialand certain imprisonment orleaving her home, she moved toArgentina, but following a militarycoup in that country in 1976,finally moved to Australia as arefugee.

Quong Tart

Mei Quong Tart from Canton never missed an opportunity –and there were plenty on the New South Wales goldfields of the 1850s where he grew up. He lived with Scottish settlers,adopted their customs, andspoke English with a Scottishaccent. By the 1890s he was a prominent business figure inSydney and widely respected in the colony.

Vincenzo Dublé

Vincenzo Dublé continued afamily tradition by training as a barber. In his homeland ofSicily, barbers also acted asdentists and surgeons. Economicdepression in the early 1930s led Dublé and friends to migrateto Australia, where he hoped toestablish a business beforebringing out his wife and childrento join him.

Mrs Freer

Mrs Freer was an Englishwomanwho had left her husband inSouth Africa for another man in1936. When they attempted tocome to Australia Mrs Freer wastested in Italian (a language shedid not speak) to make sure shefailed, and could be refusedentry because of what was seenas the immorality of herbehaviour.

William Rodier

William Rodier was a pastoralist inthe 1890s and the early part of thetwentieth century. He was not animmigrant, but devoted his life tofighting that First Fleet immigrant,the rabbit. Rodier self-publishedbooklets, posters and pamphletsgiving advice about how to controlrabbits. His main theory was that ifyou killed only females, the maleswould kill themselves fighting overthe few remaining females, and allwould soon die out.


Person/story What it tells you about Australia’s immigration story What it tells you about the impacts of immigration

2 Look at this summary of the sevenbiographies, and the major themes set out atthe start of this unit. Decide which lives seemto be most associated with which themes.One example has been done to help you.

3 If you ONLY had these seven shortbiographies as evidence, what conclusionsmight you draw about immigration andAustralia?

4 List any major questions that you wouldwant to know more about.

In small groups, now look at one of thefollowing explorations of some of the themesraised by these stories through some of theobjects and displays in the Horizons Gallery.

Person/story Theme

White Identity Populate Economy EnvironmentAustralia or perish?

Lê Thàn Nhón

Barbara Porritt

Juanita

Vincenzo Dublé

Mei Quong Tart

Mrs Freer

William Rodier

4 © National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd 2001 4 ©National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media 2001

a ‘White Australia’Immigration and

Immigration often involves social attitudes and values – that is, things which the people of a nation see asimportant to them. One which has been a significant partof Australian history has been our attitudes to ‘WhiteAustralia’ – the policy adopted by the new nation in 1901to exclude non-European immigration from Australia. That

B A C K G R O U N D B R I E F I N G

Brainstorm

1 As a group, list the main ideasand information you have about the‘White Australia Policy’ – such as:• what it meant, • when it was introduced, • against whom it was directed, and • what its impacts were.

You will be able to ‘test’ these at theend of your study of the materialwhich follows.

AnalysingexhibitsLook at these exhibits. They areexhibits in the Horizons Gallery ofthe National Museum of Australia,and all have something to do withthe White Australia Policy. (You cansee these exhibits in colour by goingto the National Museum of Australiaweb site www.nma.gov.au.Click Education Resources, then Classroom Resources, thenSTUDIES Magazine, and finallyExploring the story of immigration inthe National Museum of Australia’sHorizons Gallery.)

2 Working individually or in agroup, decide for each exhibit:• what it is,• who is connected with it, or whose

voice it represents,• what it is telling us, and • why it would be considered an

appropriate object for a museum.

policy was a significant part of Australia’s early nationalhistory, but has now been totally overturned as Australianssaw the justice and benefits of a non-discriminatoryimmigration policy based on multiculturalism and cultural diversity.

All eyes on Australia

This cartoon appeared in 1921 in the ‘MillionsMagazine’, published bya club whose belief thatAustralia must ‘populateor perish’, and that theappropriate people tocome to Australia wereBritish.

Certificate ofexemption from the Dictation Test

The Immigration RestrictionAct 1901 was one of thevery first Acts of the newCommonwealth Parliament.It severely restricted the immigration of non-Europeans to Australia,by having a dictation testthat could be given. On thesurface this looks like aneducation test rather than a racial test, but it wasgenerally only given toAsian immigrants – usuallyin English, which they wereunable to speak. ThoseAsians who were residentsof Australia in 1901 wereissued with ExemptionCertificates from the test if they wanted to traveloverseas and then return to Australia within a setperiod.


Creating a display3 Now cut these images out and organise them in away that tells a story about the ‘White Australia Policy’ inour history. Add captions / explanation panels to brieflysummarise this story. You may decide that a particularaspect of the story has not been well covered by theseexhibits, and that a new one that would cover that aspectshould be added. If so, you can nominate what the exhibitmight be that would convey this aspect of the story toviewers.

Some further ideasHere are some aspects of immigration and social attitudesand values that you might take into account in creating yourown story based on the display.

People’s social attitudes and values relatingto immigration:➤ may reflect the major concerns and ideas

of the time;➤ can change over time;➤ can reflect a variety of motivations – selfishness,

ignorance, compassion, fear, hope, etc.;➤ may differ – there are often individuals and groups

who do not accept government policies.

‘Sink them!’ poster

In 1995 the anti Asian immigration groupNational Action reacted to the arrival ofseveral refugee boats from China.

Hot air cabinet

It was believed by many for a long time that‘white men’ could not work in the tropics. Thishot air cabinet was used to carry out tests onthe reactions of people to exposure to tropicalheat and humidity, so that governments wouldknow which people were able to live and workin tropical conditions.

Good Neighbour Council

Good Neighbour Councils were formedin Australia after the end of World War 2to provide support for immigrants, and tohelp them integrate into the localcommunity.


citizenship and national identityImmigration and

One significant area of immigration is its impact in civicmatters, and especially the sense of identity of the nation.Does immigration ‘dilute’ national identity? Do the newmigrants identify with and commit themselves to the newcountry? What happens if there are divided loyalties?

These are all valid questions to explore.


Look at these displays in theMuseum, and see what theycontribute to developing answers to these questions.

Brainstorm 1 As a group, list the mainideas and information you haveabout immigration and nationalidentity / citizenship – such as:• who become citizens,• what happens to their original

citizenship, and• what their attitude is to the new

nation.

You will be able to ‘test’ these atthe end of your study of thematerial which follows.

AnalysingexhibitsLook at these exhibits. They areexhibits in the Horizons Galleryof the National Museum ofAustralia, and all have somethingto do with citizenship andnational identity. You can seethese exhibits in colour by going to the National Museum of Australia web sitewww.nma.gov.au.Click Education Resources, then Classroom Resources, then STUDIES Magazine, andfinally Exploring the story ofimmigration in the NationalMuseum of Australia’s HorizonsGallery.)

2 Individually or in a group,for each, decide:• what it is,• who is connected with it, or

whose voice it represents,• what it is telling us, and • why it would be considered an

appropriate object for amuseum.

Immigrants may:➤ adopt and commit themselves to the values

and culture of the new country completely;➤ adopt many of the new country’s values, but

maintain aspects of their heritage from theirprevious country;

➤ completely maintain their old values andculture;

➤ add to the richness and complexity anddiversity of the new culture;

➤ be influenced by the new country’s culture,and be changed themselves.

Passports

Australian passports are issued topeople who are born in the nation,or who take out citizenship of it.Before 1948 Australians werecalled ‘British citizens’. TheAustralian Citizenship Act 1948changed that to ‘Australian citizens’.

Australia-Hungary badges

In 1950 a group of Hungarian migrants inSydney established what later became the St George Budapest Soccer Club. Symbols ofboth Australia and Hungary featured in theclub’s logo and badges. A founder recalled thatthe club aimed to ‘transplant the Hungariancommunity into the Australian way of life’.

Creating a display3 Now cut these images out and organise them in a way that tells a story aboutimmigration and citizenship in our history. Add captions / explanation panels to brieflysummarise this story. You may decide that a particular aspect of the story has notbeen well covered by these exhibits, and that a new one that would cover that aspectshould be added. If so, you can nominate what the exhibit might be that would conveythis aspect of the story to viewers.

Some furtherideasHere are some aspects ofimmigration and citizenshipand national identity that youmight take into account increating your own storybased on the display.


One major aspect of immigration is its impacton economic matters. The new immigrantsare both producers and consumers – throughjobs, social services, consumer goods,savings, taxation, and all the economicactivities that other Australians are involvedin. There may be some unique economicactivities – such as through the use ofinterpreters – but in most cases immigrantsare very similar in their economic activities toother Australians.

Brainstorm1 As a group, list the main ideas and information you have about immigrants and theeconomy such as their impacts on:• jobs,• employable skills,• social services, and • businesses.

You will be able to ‘test’ these at the end of your study of the material which follows.

Analysing exhibitsLook at these exhibits. They are exhibits in theHorizons Gallery of the National Museum ofAustralia, and all have something to do with theWhite Australia Policy. You can see these exhibits incolour by going to the National Museum of Australiaweb site www.nma.gov.au. Click EducationResources, then Classroom Resources, thenSTUDIES Magazine, and finally Exploring the storyof immigration in the National Museum of Australia’sHorizons Gallery.)

2 Individually or in a group, for each, decide:• what it is,• who is connected with it, or whose voice it

represents,• what it is telling us, and• why it would be considered an appropriate object

for a museum.

Creating a display3 Now cut these images out and organise themin a way that tells a story about immigration and theeconomy in our history. Add captions / explanationpanels to briefly summarise this story. You maydecide that a particular aspect of the story has notbeen well covered by these exhibits, and that a newone that would cover that aspect should be added. Ifso, you can nominate what the exhibit might be thatwould convey this aspect of the story to viewers.

Some further ideasHere are some aspects of immigration andeconomic matters that you might take into accountin creating your own story based on the display.


the economyImmigration and

The economic implications of immigration may be:➤ positive for the nation in some ways;➤ negative for the nation in some ways;➤ that immigrants need to adapt their existing skills;➤ that opportunities are given for individuals’ improvement;➤ that injustices are done in relation to not acknowledging the

newcomers’ abilities and skills.

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Barber’s tools

These barbers’ instruments werebrought to Australia by VincenzoDublé when he emigrated fromItaly.

Some were not appropriate tothe way of life of the newcountry, but he used the othersto create a career for himselfthat lasted many decades.

Chart of immigration and government expenditure

Immigration to Australia is organised into several categories – suchas family reunion, skilled and business, and refugees.

This chart from the Australia 2030 interactive CD ROM display showsthe results of a study of immigration into the impacts of each categoryof immigrant on government expenditure and income over five years.

Quong Tart

Quong Tart was a Sydney merchant.Around 1900, when this photographwas taken, he was planning to makeall his employees shareholders in hiscompany. He paid his workers mealallowances and holiday and sick pay.


‘populate or perish’ attitudesImmigration and

Population size is a key element associated with immigration. Netimmigration (the excess of those arriving over those leaving) can be amajor factor in increasing, stabilising or decreasing the overall population.It also is a major factor in determining future population size and shape.


Look at these exhibits, each of whichhas something to do with attitudes toAustralia’s optimum population sizeand type.

Brainstorm 1 As a group, list the main ideasand information you have aboutimmigration and population – such as:• how many immigrants arrive

each year,• where they go,• how they live, • what impacts they have on total

population numbers,• whether Australia needs more

or fewer immigrants.


AnalysingexhibitsLook at these exhibits. They areexhibits in the Horizons Gallery of the National Museum of Australia,and all have something to do withattitudes to population size and typein Australia, popular attitudes topopulation futures, and governmentpolicies and controls on immigration.You can see these exhibits in colour by going to the NationalMuseum of Australia web sitewww.nma.gov.au. ClickEducation Resources, thenClassroom Resources, thenSTUDIES Magazine, and finallyExploring the story of immigration inthe National Museum of Australia’sHorizons Gallery.)

2 Individually or in a group, foreach, decide:• what it is,• who is connected with it, or whose

voice it represents,• what it is telling us, and• why it would be considered an


Millions club

Early in the century patrioticassociations pointed to Australia’svulnerability and promoted schemesfor populating and developing thenorth. Formed by New South Walesbusinessmen in 1912, the MillionClub (later the Millions Club) soughta million more immigrants from theUnited Kingdom.

Save our mothers

During the GreatDepression of 1929–1933, Australia’sbirthrate slumped andmore people left thecountry than came here to settle. In 1937 ex-Prime Minister BillyHughes campaigned toimprove the health ofmothers and increasethe birthrate.


Creating a display3 Now cut these images out and organise them ina way that tells a story about immigration andpopulation numbers and type in our history. Addcaptions / explanation panels to briefly summarise thisstory. You may decide that a particular aspect of thestory has not been well covered by these exhibits, andthat a new one that would cover that aspect should beadded. If so, you can nominate what the exhibit mightbe that would convey this aspect of the story toviewers.

Some further ideasHere are some aspects of immigration and populationthat you might take into account in creating your ownstory based on the display.

People’s attitudes to population may:➤ reflect certain values;➤ want to promote one group over another;➤ be changed over time;➤ reflect what they think is best for the nation;➤ take into account a range of factors – social,

defence, humanitarian, economic.

Charles Loaney headstone, fumigation tank and rifle

Australia has no land borders with any other country.The only ways to enter Australia are by air or sea.From Federation in 1901 quarantine was acommonwealth, or national, matter. These exhibits areall from Christmas Island, and show a readiness touse force to prevent violation of Australia’s borders, theneed to protect Australia against exotic diseases andgerms through temporary quarantine (sometimesmade permanent through death), or fumigation.

Government welcomes

Since 1901, when immigration became aCommonwealth matter, governments haveencouraged migration to Australia. Moderngovernments plan the program carefully interms of numbers, though our immigrationpolicies do not involve ethnicity or religionin their implementation.

Hong Hai wheel

Australia had provided troops to South Vietnamin its war with North Vietnam from 1962 until1972. With the defeat of the South VietnameseGovernment in 1975 many South Vietnamesefled the country, fearing persecution by thevictors. Many finally made their way to Australiaafter dangerous sea journeys in leaking boatsthrough pirate-infested waters. The first to arrive in Darwin Harbour was the Hong Hai.


the environmentImmigration and

‘Immigration’ does not only refer to people.

One of the impacts of immigration may bethe introduction of non-indigenous speciesinto the environment – with subsequentimpacts, both beneficial and harmful.


Look at one of these introducedspecies, the rabbit, and see what wecan learn about it from the museum.

Brainstorm1 As a group, list the main ideasand information you have aboutintroduced species and theenvironment – such as:• what has been introduced,• when they were introduced,• what their positive impacts have

been,• what their negative impacts have

been, and • how they have changed or shaped

the land and the way people live.


AnalysingexhibitsLook at these exhibits. They areexhibits in the Horizons Gallery ofthe National Museum of Australia,and all have something to do withattitudes to population size and type in Australia, popular attitudes to population futures, andgovernment policies and controls on immigration. You can see theseexhibits in colour by going to theNational Museum of Australia website www.nma.gov.au.Click Education Resources, then Classroom Resources, thenSTUDIES Magazine, and finallyExploring the story of immigration inthe National Museum of Australia’sHorizons Gallery.)

2 Individually or in a group,consider these questions for each:• what it is,• who is connected with it, or whose

voice it represents,• what it is telling us, and• why it would be considered an


Men’s hat

This is a typical hat worn bymost Australian men in theperiod 1920s to 1950s. It is a furfelt hat, made from rabbit skin.Look at almost any photographof Australian men in that period,and you will see such hats as apart of standard daily dress.

Grey rabbit ‘spread’

Domestic rabbits had beenbrought to Australia, on the First Fleet in fact, but they didnot survive in the wild. This mapshows the spread of the differentbreed, the grey rabbit, inAustralia from the time of its firstrelease into the wild from a farmnear Geelong, Victoria, in 1859.

Rabbits in transit

Rabbit trappers supplied factories withskins, and butcher shops, markets andhawkers with meat. By the late 1940sAustralia exported almost 50 millionrabbit carcasses annually.


Creating a display3 Now cut these images out and organise them in a way thattells a story about the rabbit in our history. Add captions /explanation panels to briefly summarise this story.You may decidethat a particular aspect of the story has not been well covered bythese exhibits, and that a new one that would cover that aspectshould be added. If so, you can nominate what the exhibit might bethat would convey this aspect of the story to viewers.

Some further ideasHere are some aspects of immigration and the environment thatyou might take into account in creating your own story based onthe display.

Introduced species may:➤ compete with indigenous ones for resources;➤ not be compatible with the environment;➤ create new economic benefits;➤ influence social behaviour and traditions.

Aboriginal headdressand painting

The rabbit meant the extinction of the native bilby and bandicootsin some parts of central Australia.Traditional headdresses ofbandicoot tails were replaced with rabbit fur, and here a rabbit(represented by the marks of itsfoot) replaces the bilby as thebulge in the snake’s stomach.

Rabbit fence and map

Eastern and northern statestried to control the spread ofrabbits by building thousands ofkilometres of rabbit-proof fences.

Cartoons

Many people in the pastoral industry were worried about the impact of rabbits onpasture and the land – and therefore theproductive capacity of the economy, and itsconsequences for population, and immigration.

Controlling rabbits over time

Many ways have been devised totry and destroy rabbits – includingtraps, poison, diseases such asmyxomatosis and calici virus,destruction of burrows, dynamite,ferrets, and many more.


exploring your own communityConcluding exercise

One excellent way of exploring the impacts of immigration on Australia in a manageable way is to focus on your owncommunity, and to create a display of objects that tell thestory of immigration and that community.

1 Have each person in your class bring one object whichsays something about immigration and their family or localcommunity.

2 Have each person tell the story behind that object to the whole class. You could draw on some of the ideasexplored above to help you make sense of the meanings and implications – social, cultural, economic, political – of the objects.

3 Write a caption for somebody else’s object.

4 Organise a display of these objects and the captions ina way that tells the story of your class and local community.

You might organise this into one narrative, or into themes, or in some other way that suits the information you get frompeople’s contributions.

5 Investigate your community further, to fill in any gapsor to test further the ideas and conclusions that your classcollection has tentatively raised.

Some aspects to consider might be:

6 Imagine that you have been asked to design amemorial, flag, plaque or poster, to commemorate andcelebrate the influence of migration on your community.Prepare a sketch or outline of that commemorative design.

The National Museum of Australia is interested inhearing from you with your investigations. Contact theEducation Section on (02) 6208 5119

Or send your findings to

School SectionNational Museum of AustraliaPO Box 1901Canberra ACT 2601www.nma.gov.au

People – and their social, economic, cultural impacts

Which countries have people in my community come from?

When?

Why?

Have there been any changes over time in patterns of migration?

How were they accepted on arrival?

How have they changed the place?

How has the place changed them?

What have they contributed from their migration?

What have they received?

What problems have they faced?

What support have they received?

Have they been discriminated against?

Places – the distribution of people, and their activities

Where have people settled?

Have there been any patterns?

Have these changed over time?

Have there been impacts on the environment?

Built environment – the evidence around us

Is there evidence of the impacts of immigration in the builtenvironment – such as in building styles, garden plants, nameson memorials, street or place names, types of businesses, waysof doing things?

For more informationSome excellent starting pointsfor exploring immigration inAustralia in more detail are:

✈ Australia 2030 – Investigatingthe FACTS of Immigration, a multimedia kit from theDepartment of Immigrationand Multicultural Affairs thathas been sent to everysecondary school in Australia

✈ The special youth websiteassociated with this Australia2030 kit, atwww.australia2030.gov.au

✈ Department of Immigrationand Multicultural Affairswebsite www.immi.gov.au

✈ Australia’s Cultural Network, a portal in to the collections of Australia’s major culturalinstitutions, atwww.can.gov.au

✈ The Horizons Gallery of theNational Museum of Australia– go to www.nma.gov.au andclick on Exhibitions andevents, and Horizons.

What impacts has immigration had on Australia?The National Museum of Australia and the Horizons Gallery

Written by Robert LewisTim GurryDavid Arnold

ISBN 0-949380-34-2

©2001National Museum of AustraliaPhone (02) 6208 5119Fax (02) 6208 5198Website www.nma.gov.au

and

Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd31 Station Street MalvernVictoria 3144Phone (03) 9500 2399Fax (03) 9500 2388Email [email protected]

Designed by Polar Design Pty Ltd, MelbournePrinted by Impact Printing Pty Ltd, Melbourne

All efforts have been made to find copyright ownership of materials used in this magazine.Any contraventions are accidental and will beredressed. For any copyright matters please contact Ryebuck Media Pty Ltd.

Hot-air cabinet used inexperiments at theAustralian Institute ofTropical Medicine inTownsville in use 1919.National Museum ofAustralia.

Cartoon predicting thatrabbits would replacesquatters and sheep by1988 1887. Bulletin.National Library ofAustralia.


Portrait of Lê Thành Nhón,about 1990 by ReimundZunde. National Museum of Australia.

Lê Thành Nhón’s Melbourneand Metropolitan TramwaysBoard Uniform (raincoatand belt) in use 1970son loan from Lê Thành Nhón

Juanita. Sanctuary AVDisplay 2001. TVU

Arrival of Barbara Porritt,the millionth migrant 1955.Department of Immigrationand Multicultural Affairs.

Tuberculin syringe 1954.Donated by CSIRO Wildlifeand Ecology.

Chlorofume exhaustfumigator 1949. Developedby Ed Davidson, Millicent,South Australia. Donated byCSIRO wildlife and Ecology.National Museum ofAustralia.

Steel-jaw rabbit trap in use1930s. Donated by RolfeBridle. National Museum ofAustralia.

Rabbit radio-tracking collar1990s. Donated by PestAnimal Control CooperativeResearch Centre. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Section of the No. 1 rabbit-proof fence, Meekatharra,Western Australia1902–1908. Donated byKevin Marney. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Wangkangurru rabbit-furheaddress 1920s. From Lake Eyre region, north-eastSouth Australia. Donated by George Horne. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Wangkangurru men wearingcharpoo headdress 1920s.By G Aiston. From SavageLife in Central Australia,1924. National Library ofAustralia.

Snake story fromKarrinyarra 1978. By OldMick Tjakamarra. FromPapunya, Central Australia.Donated by R G Kimber.National Museum ofAustralia.

Rabbits in transit to freezingworks, Cowra, New SouthWales 1949. State Library ofNew South Wales.

Juozas Stepanas’ rabbit-furfelt hat 1949. Made byRoleigh Hats. Donated byTony Stepanas. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Prime Minister Ben Chifleyand Minister forImmigration Arthur Calwellgreet a party of Britishbuilders in Sydney January1947. Department ofImmigration andMulticultural Affairs.

Wheel from the restoredHong Hai 1970s. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Binoculars about 1975.National Museum ofAustralia.

Replica of the shrine to BaCau that stood on the HongHai 2000. National Museumof Australia.

Blouse and pants about1978. Australian NationalMaritime Museum.

Grave marker from TorrensIsland Quarantine Station,Adelaide 1919. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Metal canister used forfumigating mail sent to andfrom the Torrens IslandQuarantine Station, Adelaide1950s–1960s. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Rifle date unknown. NationalMuseum of Australia.

The Jubilee Memorial Fundfor Mothers and Babies1937. National Archives ofAustralia.

Millions Magazine 1922. By the Millions Club of New South Wales. NationalLibrary of Australia.

2. Manual hair clippers1920s–1940s; 3. Groomingbrush 1920s–1940s; 4. Scissors 1920s–1940s.Donated by Vincenza Dublé.National Museum ofAustralia.

Cloth badges and stickers1980s. Donated by the St George Budapest SoccerClub. National Museum ofAustralia.

1. Australian passport 1934;2. Australian passport 19363. Australian passport about1950; 4. Australian passportabout 1952; 5. Australianpassport about 1969.National Museum ofAustralia.

Cappelluti document 1962.Donated by Rosa Cappelluti.National Museum ofAustralia.

Certificate 1931. Producedby the CommonwealthGovernment of Australia.National Archives ofAustralia.

Sink Them poster 1995.Made by National Action.National Museum ofAustralia.

‘All Eyes on Australia’ fromMillions Magazine, 1921.National Library of Australia.


Dictation test passage 1936.Produced by theCommonwealth Governmentof Australia. NationalArchives of Australia.

Vin’s Place, Coburg 1937.Donated by Vincenza Dublé,National Museum ofAustralia.

Vincenzo Dublé’sidentification photographdate unknown. Donated byVincenza Dublé. NationalMuseum of Australia.

1. Dentist tools 1920s 2. Syringe 1920s. Donatedby Vincenza Dublé. NationalMuseum of Australia.

Quong Tart in Mandarinregalia about 1900. On loanfrom Lois McEvoy.

Door plaque in use1880s–1890s. On loan fromLois McEvoy.

Quong tart and someemployees outside histearooms about 1900. Onloan from Lois McEvoy.

Photographs taken by George Serras, National Museum ofAustralia, unless otherwise indicated.

Produced by Ryebuck Media for the National Museum of Australia

What impacts has immigration had on Australia?

✈Exploring the story of immigration in the National Museum of Australia’s Horizons Gallery

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