READ ALL STORIES

The following is a collection of the stories of migration submitted to the site. We invite you to read and gain some idea of the variation of experiences, taking into account the reasons for migration, the hardships and joys of the journey and the adapting to a climate and countryside that was often extremely foreign.

Read them and consider recording your own family's story.

Town/City CASTLE HILL SYDNEY First name ROBERT Surname MENDS Country of Origin WALES UK Date of Birth 26th FEBRUARY 1957 Year of Arrival in Australia 1986 Story OUR STORY - 1986, ROBERT and WENDY MENDS, WALES UK In the early 1980's Wendy and Robert met whilst holidaying in Greece. They first arrived in Sydney in December 1983 to visit friends for a 3 month holiday, and they quickly fell in love with the country. On returning home their lives became somewhat routine and despite a move to Germany to live and work for a while they just couldn't stop thinking about Australia. They decided that this would be the best place to settle and raise a family and so applications were made to the Australian Embassy in Bonn. They finally arrived in Sydney aboard flight SQ52 on October 6th 1986, and lived in Bronte and Randwick for a few years whilst Robert built up a bricklaying business and Wendy worked for Randwick Council and then the Australian Tourist Commission until their first son Alexander arrived in February 1990 followed by Luke in December 1991. Wendy and Robert have found Australia to be a truly enchanting place to rear their boys and now affectionately refer to Castle Hill, Sydney as home.