Italian Life In Melbourne - early 1960s

Home video of Italian residents of the Carlton area getting together for a barbecue and a game of cricket in 1962.

[@philharnett2884]

Those Italian cricket players are priceless. I've had a long time love affair with Italian culture and people. Along with Greeks, the most hospitable and accepting friends I've ever had.

[@kanga1234567]

Italians contributed so much to the culture and vibrancy of Melbourne and help make the city what it is now!

[@anonymousr1918]

My Nonna came to Melbourne in 1955.

[@johngiuliani1257]

I visited Bonegilla migrant camp today I stood and sat in the same places dining room recreation room gardens and path ways as my parents did some 68 years ago I couldn’t help but think of the debt we owe them and all the migrants who have come to this land and made it their home It’s a debt we will never be able to pay As I watch this video I see the joy and the happiness and laughter that after the difficult early days and all the heartache and pain of separation it’s nice to see it was all worth it Thankyou for this priceless beautiful moving reminder of such an important and loving part of our past

[@LilacDaisy2]

My mum's neighbors were Italian when she was 15 in the 60's. Her parents made a talking point about them eating garlic, it was so new to the country, haha. Mum had a crush on the eldest, Bruno -- one year older than her -- whom she kissed (and still says he was the _best_ kisser!). But she was just one of many girls who liked him, and he knew it. After they kissed through her bedroom window, he said, "Come down to the creek with me," but Mum knew what happened to girls with Bruno down at the creek. Bruno's poor brother Walter was a year younger than Mum and had a crush on her. Their mother never learnt English, so the boys translated for her all the time. My Nanna told Mum, "Don't you ever marry an Italian. They have big tempers." When I told Mum in the 80's that I liked Italians with blue eyes, she told me the same thing, haha. Funny thing is, she married my dad whose mother is from Venice, and he has a huge temper.

[@vinorob]

As a kid growing up in inner Melbourne I learnt to swear and curse in Italian and Greek as well as I could in English. Great times.

[@davedrewett2196]

Haha me too. Nafus shatta hahahaha

[@marisabottari]

Grazie Franco & Luca....so many memories that we can NOW relive I can't thankyou enough ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS !!!!!!!!!! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Marisa Bottari....the little one with the bowl haircut :)

[@LucaGonano]

Hi Gezza1967. This was played just off University Street, in between Rathdowne Street and Drummond Street.

[@barbs19788]

Great footage! My dad came to Melbourne in 61 from Italy and this kind of gives me an insight to what life was like back then and what he got up to as a young man coming to a very strange and foreign land.

[@ForgingMyLife]

My dad came in 1963.

[@nathana7593]

Such beautiful footage. Thankyou for sharing this

[@tramvinicyus2]

Luca I MUST COME BACK!!!! I felt in love with Melbourne (last time was in 2009-2010) but sooner or later i'll come back Vinicio from Rome

[@lenglish4613]

The Europeans are what made Australia! They bought coffee, food and culture to this Country :)

[@annamarie3329]

L English. Yes, very much so

[@christinejackson3922]

L English I grew up in Oak Park ( suburb of Melbourne) and remember the "new"Australians they lived next door down the street and across the road and guess what !!! We all got along what happened to those days ???

[@Todo_fighting]

Christine Jackson what happened

[@christinejackson3922]

manolete 46 I wish I knew maybe we don’t respect each other any more

[@murray7584]

L English contributed

[@robertgrant1837]

they expanded our taste for good wine & food we will always be grateful, for that well I will be that's for sure

[@broderickwallis25]

Not to forget garlic !!!😅😂🤣

[@LucaGonano]

It's a pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@CaporaleAdriano]

A fantastic collection of home movies. I enjoyed this immensely. Nice work. :-)

[@BarrytheRed1]

I don't know you but I'd like to add my thanks too. It's wonderful footage and brings back very fond memories of my many Italian friedns and especially my next door neighbours in Shamrock Street, West Brunswick, where I resided for about thirty years from 1954. The Italians have a significant history in Australia and this footage is part of it.

[@trevorwykes3289]

What a gem of a find!

[@broderickwallis25]

They had gathered on this day for a grand Italiano lunch after which they were going to concrete the back yard !!!😅😂🤣 The post war Italians really embraced being part of Aust. society and were good guys to work with and could have fun and have thoughtful conversations generally... Also, in this area was a large Italian migrant population and they really embraced Aussie Rules... The one song i was expecting to here at the end was, "We are the navy blues, we are the old dark navy blues"😊

[@cessorino]

This brings back great memories, i grew up in Carlton in the 60s. Actually I went to school with your dad at St.Georges. Thanks Luca......................Rino Ingenito

[@tobo26]

Thanks for sharing.

[@mjames4709]

God bless those Italian migrants who came to Melbourne post war and made (and continue) a great contribution to Melbourne life. Something other groups could learn from.

[@MrSicc274]

Beautiful video. Part Italian from NZ

[@elizabethdjokovic2691]

Those were the days.

[@abramo351ierardo7]

This just about brings a tear to my eye my first memories of Australia .. LYGON St

[@user-yg4xf4rs3e]

Lot of dodgey things go on in Lygon street Melbourne 😢

[@hardishpan]

That's why we have so many Italian places on Lygon Street :D

[@SockABusta]

Sad to see how shit Melbourne is now. These were the good days..

[@Todo_fighting]

SockABusta why shit ?

[@tonywethereld7429]

My wife (Greek) and I (Aussie but with many ethnic friends) lived there in the 60's and 70's which is over 40 years ago now. We went back a few years ago (now living in Brisbane - with stints in the UAE) and both lamented how it had lost its innocence and special feel. There appears to far more gang-related violence and many people we met were off-hand to us, and there seemed to be little 'sense of community' anymore there. It is easy to look back and think everything was much better, but this is usually invalid, however the place certainly does seem to have gone 'downhill'.

[@frannynet553]

@@tonywethereld7429 Melbourne looks like freakin Bangkok

[@kanga1234567]

@Pat Morac Not at all

[@broderickwallis25]

​@@Todo_fighting... Try Daniel Sandshoes

[@user-yg4xf4rs3e]

Of course times have changed i came to Australia in 1966 of course it was a different time

[@Gezza1967]

I went to St Georges only for a couple of weeks in 1979. Where was the cricket match played in Carlton?

[@LaDolceItaliaAus]

"The first and only Italian lifestyle event in Australia" Come to see La Dolce Italia, Melbourne 10-11-12 August 2012

[@broderickwallis25]

Where can I get tickets !!!😂😅🤣

[@HRnajbolje]

How life should be!

[@Residualshanty]

carlton, a dream, was then- is now. little italy forever

[@mariamorizzi6519]

Lets hope it continues to e the same Intil to this day when i am in the city i always go to my favorite restaurant Totos pizzaria this year is my fiftieth year that i have had lunch at Totos

[@myopinion138]

Dont forget the Greeks lol

[@johngiuliani9887]

Hi Luca Are you on face book I loved this video and would love some more info on it Kind regards John

[@LucaGonano]

Hi John - sorry, I only just saw this. My email address is [e-mail] if you want to send me a message.

[@noproblem2big337]

I wonder if they realized then... that back yard in Carlton must be worth megabucks

[@broderickwallis25]

The Italians probably did but the average Aussie was not that forward thinking or materially minded... Italians had hundreds of years experience on working out how to survive !!!

[@vincenzoleone1122]

bella austriala 26 - 10 - 53 - enzo leone da nocera inferioe

[@mishakolomoicev9701]

Flamin dagoes taking over the joint.

[@broderickwallis25]

Ya spelt dagoes wrong ya mug😅😂🤣

[@AliceCardosoblogdatuca]

ITALIAN 1960

[@deborahshah9066]

mio padre nacque qua