Croatian Australians are Australian citizens of
Croatian ancestry.
Croatia has been a source of
migrants to Australia, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2021, around 200,000 people resident in Australia (0.6%) identified themselves as being born in Croatia or having Croatian ancestry.
History
Prior to World War II
Croats were first encouraged to migrate to Australia during the
gold rushes of the 1850s taking place in the British colonies of
Victoria and
New South Wales. Although migration was relatively small, Croatian travellers and sailors employed on merchant vessels played a significant role in spreading the news of the opportunities possible in Australia.[1]
In an interesting occurrence in October 1875, sixteen Croatian sailors aboard the vessel Stefano, became shipwrecked on the
Ningaloo Reef along the West Australian coast. Ten survived to reach the shore where the local
Yinikutira people gave them food and water, and found their map of the coast among the shipwreck's debris. By January 1876, all but two had died from hunger or exposure. The two survivors, Baccich (aged 16) and Jurich (aged 19), became part of a Yinikutira clan and spent the following three months living with them around the
North West Cape. They were rescued by a
pearler looking for Aboriginal labour in April 1876 and, after a few months in
Fremantle, they returned to Europe.[2][1]
The
Western Australian gold rushes in the 1890s started a significant migration of Croats (mainly from
Dalmatia) to Australia and by the early part of the 20th century, there were around 2000 to 3000 people of Croatian origin in Australia, 80% of these residing in
Western Australia. Around 100 Australian Croats fought for the
Allies during
World War I. However, during this war around 600 non-naturalised Croats were interned at the
Holsworthy Internment Camp where 20 died and about 500 were later deported from Australia in 1919.[1]
Croatian migration to Australia took on a different aspect after
World War II. From 1945 to 1952, Australia's
post-war immigration scheme saw around 170,000 Eastern European
displaced persons, including Croatians, given residency. Some of these Croatian migrants were associated with the defeated
Ustaše regime. In the context of the
White Australia policy,
Cold War anti-communism, and the shortage of workers at the time, the
Ustaše in Australia were allowed to dominate and influence the Croatian migrant community through the establishment cultural and sporting clubs around Australia that promoted Ustaše ideals. This influence continues into 21st century Croatian-Australian society.[4][5][6][7]
During the 1960s and early 1970s, the Ustaše splinter groups in Australia led by people like
Srećko Rover ran a campaign of bombings, intimidation and insurgency operations against pro-Yugoslav interests. Eventually, after a
large bombing in Sydney injured many people, a crackdown on the Ustaše movement in the Croatian-Australia community occurred from late 1972. This was spearheaded by the Attorney-General,
Lionel Murphy, who raided
ASIO Headquarters and made public the files on the Croatian terrorist activities.[8][9][10][11]
In November 1977, an unofficial Croatian embassy was opened in
Canberra, causing a legal and diplomatic difficulty for both the
Australian and
Yugoslav governments.[12] The embassy, aimed at raising awareness of Croatia as a nation and the Croatian people separate from Yugoslavia, remained open for 2 years closing in 1979. Its ambassador was
Mario Despoja, the father of former
Democrats leader
Natasha Stott Despoja.
Since the independence of Croatia in the 1990s, an official embassy has been opened in Canberra and consulates have been opened in
Melbourne, Sydney and
Perth.[citation needed]
The Yugoslavia-born population reached 129,616 by the 1971 Census and 160,479 by the 1991 Census. The greatest number settled in Sydney and
Melbourne, though Croats are well represented in every Australian city and region. Croatian migration to Australia has been very low since the 1980s.[citation needed]
Demographics
The 2021 Census data released by the
Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that 43,302 persons resident in Australia identified themselves as having been born in
Croatia, representing about 0.15% of the Australian population. The Census also noted 164,362 persons identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry, either alone or in combination with another ancestry, representing a further 0.65% of the Australian population. Most of this demographic were shown to reside in
Victoria and
New South Wales.[13][14]
As the level of immigration from Croatia has dropped significantly from the 1980s, the Croatian-born population is ageing: 57% of the Croatian-born population was aged 65 years or older at the time of the 2021 Census. The 2021 data also revealed that 15% of Croatian born Australians spoke only Croatian at home, while 24% spoke only English at home, and 72% of Croatian born Australians recorded their religion as
Catholic.[13]
Croatian Australians historically have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Croatia. In December 2001, the
Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 1,000 Australian citizens resident in Croatia, mainly in Zagreb.[15]
Croats in Australia and their Croatian Australian offspring are notable for their commitment to soccer, with numerous clubs established throughout the country,[16] the most notable and successful being
Sydney Croatia and
Melbourne Croatia. These clubs nurtured the soccer talents of a large number of Croatian Australians, many of whom now play professionally overseas. Croatian Australians have played for both
Croatia and
Australia. In the
2006 World Cup, there were seven Croatian Australians playing for Australia and three playing for Croatia. A total of 47 Croatian Australians have gone on to play for the Australian national soccer team, including 7 who captained the national team. The
Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament is the oldest running soccer competition in Australia.
Croats in Australia from the
Sali on
Dugi Otok island organised themselves into "Sons of Sali" (S.O.S.) and "Sisters of Sali". They organise the Annual Sons of Sali
Picnic and
Bocce competition, as well as SOS Karte nights.[19]
The Association of Croatian Language Teachers in Victoria, established in the 1970s, helped in developing Croatian language programs for primary and secondary schools in Victoria.
Australian Croatian Community Services (ACCS), based in
Footscray, provides Croatian language courses[22]
Josipa [Knežević] Draisma – comedian, singer, actor, writer and theatre maker.
Mikelangelo (Michael Simic) aka The Balkan Elvis – singer (solo, Johnny Presley and the Zagreb Allstars, Mikelangelo and the Tin Star). Father is Croatian from Tučepi, Croatia.
Rex Radonich (1950–1986) – Banjo player in Australian Bluegrass band Bullamakanka. Was regarded as the best at picker at the time. Grandson of Mate Radonic (born Podgora Croatia) of New Zealand.
Natalie D-Napoleon – (Croatian father and mother) – Australian singer-songwriter and poet.
Tony Slavich – keyboardist – Ariel, Sun, Mike Rudd and the Heaters, Mondo Rock, Goldrush, Ross Ryan band, Richard Clapton Band.
Adalita, born
Adalita Srsen, solo performer and member of
Magic Dirt. Her father is Croatian.
Luka Budak – author, Head of Croatian Studies, Macquarie University.
Val Colic-Peisker – associate professor, sociologist and author.
Vesna Drapac – Associate Professor of History at University of Adelaide, author ("Constructing Yugoslavia: A Transnational History" 2010).
Roman Krznaric – social philosopher, author ("
The Wonderbox: Curious histories of how to live" 2011, "How to Find Fulfilling Work (The School of Life)" 2013 , "How Should We Live?: Great Ideas from the Past for Everyday Life" 2015, "Empathy: Why It Matters, and How to Get It" 2015, "The First Beautiful Game: Stories of Obsession in Real Tennis" 2015, "Carpe Diem: Seizing the Day in a Distracted World" 2017) and founder of the
Empathy Museum.
Ralph Pervan (1938–1980) – academic and author ("Tito and the students : the university and the university in self-managing Yugoslavia" 1978), namesake of the "Ralph Pervan scholarship", University Hall, Western Australia.
Zed Seselja – politician, senator (Liberal Party), ACT
Natasha Stott Despoja – federal politician, senator (Australian Democrats) – South Australia
Zorana Balaban – lawyer (Websters lawyers), South Australia
Other
Mate Alac – (Born
Drašnice, Croatia 1908 – 1997)- Miner (in Western Australia) and author of memoir "Into The World" (1992).
Vincent Abbott – gold hunter, pioneer of the Murchison Goldfields and who had the town of
Abbotts, Western Australia named after him. He was born Vincent Vranjican in the town of Starigrad, Island of Hvar, Dalmatia, Croatia.
Matthew Beovich – Roman Catholic priest, Archbishop of Adelaide.
^"THE LOSS OF THE "STEFANO."". The Herald. Vol. X, no. 16. Western Australia. 20 May 1876. p. 3. Retrieved 24 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^"CROATIAN REGIME". The West Australian. Vol. 57, no. 17, 132. Western Australia. 4 June 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 24 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^"NBA champ Andrew Bogut: 'I grew up in Australia but was raised Croatian'". croatiaweek.com. 21 February 2023. Andrew, who learned the Croatian language and about customs at home growing up, says that made the transition easy when he finally did visit Croatia. 'I consider myself both (Croatian and Australian). A lot of ideals and hardheadedness come from my Croatian side, and I think that is a good thing at times, and I am also proud of the fact that Australia has provided a lot for myself and my family.'
Further reading
Colic-Peisker, Val.(2000) Croatian and Bosnian migration to Australia in the 1990s. Studies in Western Australian history, No.21, (Being Australian women), p. 117–136.
Colic-Peisker, Val.(2004) Split lives: Croatian Australian stories North Fremantle, W. Aust.: Fremantle Arts Centre Press.
ISBN1-920731-08-3
Walter F Lalich and Luka Budak – Croatian Studies Centre, Macquarie University (2008).
"Croatians". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 4 October 2015. (Croatians in Sydney)