Issue Number: 27 (Sept 2009)

Bywong, Karrinyup, Bolwarra Heights, Lobethal, Tumbi Umbi, Rosny, Bellbowrie, Worrigee, Taperoo, Yuulong, Toolong, Raby, Pelverata, Capalaba, Carwoola, Baerami Creek, Baranduda, Briagolong, Lesmurdie, Hillman, Paracombe, Karawara, Yandoit and Porepunkah.  (I don't know if any of these rated a mention in the song "I've been everywhere, man" - perhaps I'm showing my age!). I could go on all day, but these are just some of the nearly 1600 towns and cities already throughout Australia which are home to people who have bought places on the History Handrail. We are going to keep the tally and publish and update it on the website - it is very impressive list. Bearing in mind the complexity of this project, it has taken a great deal of time to develop the systems needed to gather and sort registrations for the History Handrail and the increasingly important catalogue of stories, the Migration Book. We now know the system will cope, so it is time to go all out to promote the project through additional media partners, and most importantly by word of mouth. I find it amazing that people from such disparate and often tiny towns have heard about the Immigration Bridge. Spreading word of this national community project (minimal marketing budget) was always going to be one of the biggest difficulties facing us. Major Sponsorship from SBS in the form of free advertising has been a great help, and now I am pleased to be able to add TVS (Television Sydney - the Community Channel with an audience to rival SBS in the Sydney Basin) to the stable of media sponsors. I hope to be able to make some more announcements soon. How you can help! Word of Mouth - 1600 towns present a great opportunity for Immigration Bridge to call for volunteers from each town to assist in spreading the word. How can you assist IBA? - Here are some suggestions. Local newspapers are always looking for stories, and the story of the Immigration Bridge and its quest to record and publish Australia's migrant history is a very good one, especially when there are potential local contributors and extracts from their stories can be celebrated. We can provide articles of interest, local stories (with permission) and updates on the progress of the project. Please put us in contact with your local newspaper. Local clubs - IBA can provide speakers, or materials, booklets, brochures, application forms, etc for local distribution. Your personal circle - once again we can provide you with materials, or we can send packages to nominated friends, family, etc. How often do you forward emails of interest to your group? Why not forward this newsletter to your group now? Please contact us on 1300 300 046 or email immibridge1@optusnet.com.au to discuss. Target 10,000 by 2010. Already we have 2,000 stories and they are read by 50,000 people every month. By years end, the Migration Book will be attracting readers at the rate of 1,000,000 per year. Many who would never have recorded their stories have done so because this project has provided the place and the format. I would like to set a reachable target of 10,000 stories to be collected by the end of 2010. We intend that the Migration Book will continue to collect stories long after the Bridge is built.  " Every family should have its own historian, biographer, diarist, someone to keep records of lives that may have seemed ordinary in 1850, 1880 or 1900, but are fascinating to us now. There is a modern craze for genealogy, a great desire to know about our ancestors, but most genealogists only uncover bare bones - births, deaths and marriages. We need to put humanity on those bones." (Keith Dunstan, "No Brains At All" (Penguin 1990) As I always say to the many who ring on 1300 300 046, we have reached a critical time for the recording of our immigration history. With the passing of each generation, first anecdote disappears and eventually the whole story is lost. For those six million who have come since the Second World War, many are passing on or getting very old, and their stories run the risk of dying with them. All these stories, from convict times till now, form a unique insight into the background and development of the Australian character, and we as a nation will be the poorer if they are lost. HAVE YOU READ A STORY TODAY? BETTER STILL, HAVE YOU RECORDED YOUR OWN FAMILY'S STORY?

We look forward to the Grand Australian Anglo-Indian Ball in Canberra this weekend. Joe Bailey, President of the Australian Anglo-Indian Association of Canberra, is our most active Ambassador, and a passionate leader of the proud 40,000 strong Anglo-Indian community here in Australia. . For Migrants from China, we would like you to celebrate the Moon Festival (October 3) by giving a present of a place on the History Handrail. Pleasehelp us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time Visit the website today at www.immigrationbridge.com.au

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 9 Sept 2009

   

Issue Number: 26 (June 2009)

Welcome to the latest IBA Newsletter. This is the first for a few months, as it has been a particularly challenging time for the office, as we have been adjusting to a massive increase in interest and participation in all aspects of Immigration Bridge Australia. It has taken time to reconcile the entries for the History Handrail with the Countries of Origin, but the figure now stands at 137, with recent additions (added to ones that had fallen through the gaps before) including Venezuela, Vanuatu, Senegal, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Malaysia, Nyasaland, Ceylon and Zimbabwe. The tally is increasingly becoming a geography and history lesson. (When did Ceylon become Sri Lanka, Rhodesia Zimbabwe, etc, etc?) Click hereto see the full list. When we set out to record Australia's migrant history through the Migration Book the platform we set up was designed to encourage as many as possible to both write and also read the stories. Many who would never have recorded their stories have done so because this project has provided the place and the format. A staggering 100,000 visitors have come to the website to read the stories in the last two months alone and over a quarter of a million over the last six months.  " Every family should have its own historian, biographer, diarist, someone to keep records of lives that may have seemed ordinary in 1850, 1880 or 1900, but are fascinating to us now. There is a modern craze for genealogy, a great desire to know about our ancestors, but most genealogists only uncover bare bones - births, deaths and marriages. We need to put humanity of those bones." (Keith Dunstan, "No Brains At All" (Penguin 1990) I have just edited the story of Olga Paccagnella, who arrived in WA from Italy to join her husband in 1950. I urge you all to read it. Tony Wright, the National Affairs Editor for the Age in Melbourne, wrote a terrific piece recently about the project  http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/finding-the-stories-of-migrant-nationbuilding-20090522-bibo.html I am not sure how long the links stay active, so if you try to access the link and it doesn't appear, I will post it in full on the website. There has been a concerted effort by special interest groups to see that this bridge is not built over the lake, citing heritage and lake user concerns. Much of the opposition has been based on misinformation, so IBA welcomed the decision of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories to conduct an inquiry into the project. The report has just been released and clearly spelt out the path that IBA has gone through to date, the role of the National Capital Authority in suggesting the site and form of the project, and the fact that a bridge connecting Acton Peninsula (the National Museum of Australia and Australian National University) with the attractions and study centres of the Parliamentary triangle forms part of the National Capital Plan. For those interested in reading the detail of the report, the link is  http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ncet/IBA%20proposal/report.htm It is absolutely clear that the outcome is that no-one is opposed to the project itself, just the form that it is taking. There is general acknowledgement of the appropriateness of having this commemorative structure in Canberra as it is the nation's capital, quite apart from the fact that so many immigrants contributed to its construction, and they and their descendents form a large part of Canberra's population. Addressing his support for the Immigration Bridge project, Dr David Headon stated in his submission to the JSC inquiry, "The thrust of such a campaign would be to increase the sense of ownership of their capital felt by Australians across the continent. One of the most successful smaller national projects in Canberra in recent years was the Old Parliament House Gardens refurbishment. Its success derived from the fact that Australians from all walks of life, from former Prime Ministers to anonymous visitors of yesteryear, felt compelled for any number of private and public reasons to have their stake—a subsidised rose—in the capital. After witnessing the very emotional opening of the Vietnam Memorial in 1991, media owner Kerry Stokes stated that this was exactly the role a country’s capital should be playing: bringing its citizens together for important community purposes, being a place of pilgrimage. He’s right. A capital city’s ‘symbolic role’ seems certain to be its most significant role in the 21st century. A ‘million’ tiny plaques on the bridge and surrounds would create a wonderful place of pilgrimage. Capitals are not meant to be 100% pristine—rather a mix of dignity and blue-collar. This worthy, symbolically powerful idea can be both." Please remember that if there any changes or additions that you would like to make to your History Handrail entries or Migration Book stories, you have only to contact us at the office, and it is easily done via email on the address above or 1300 300 046  Ian Warden (Canberra Times, 8May2009) wrote a wonderful, whimsical article under the great byline, Build the Bridge and Get Over It  - Bridges that connect Souls and Trolls. He begins "Distressed by the seething, carping tone of the opposition to the proposed new Immigration Bridge, I've just been to one of my favourite Canberra bridges for a soothing, nerve unjangling walk along it to remind myself of the loveliness of bridges." Unfortunately, I can't find a link to the article, so if you want a copy of it, please email me at immibridge1@optusnet.com.auand I will send it to you.   As I always say to the many who ring on 1300 300 046, we have reached a critical time for the recording of our immigration history. With the passing of each generation, first anecdote disappears and eventually the whole story is lost. For those six million who have come since the Second World War, many are passing on or getting very old, and their stories run the risk of dying with them. All these stories, from convict times till now, form a unique insight into the background and development of the Australian character, and we as a nation will be the poorer if they are lost. HAVE YOU READ A STORY TODAY? BETTER STILL, HAVE YOU RECORDED YOUR OWN FAMILY'S STORY? A REMINDER - We have put in place an additional field for those registering for the History Handrail. This asks for the BOAT/AIRLINE by which migrants came to Australia. This will provide an additional reference point for searchers and facilitate connections between fellow travellers. I therefore ask all who have registered so far to send this information (if you have it!!) to immibridge1@optusnet.com.auand we will gradually update our records as time permits. For information on our Ambassadors please click for the full list.

Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 3 June 2009

Issue Number: 25 (February 2009)

Before I become too carried away with having an opportunity to finally send out another newsletter......We have put in place an additional field for those registering for the History Handrail. This asks for the BOAT/AIRLINE by which migrants came to Australia. This will provide an additional reference point for searchers and facilitate connections between fellow travellers. I therefore ask all who have registered so far to send this information (if you have it!!) to immibridge1@optusnet.com.auand we will gradually update our records as time permits. The substantial sponsorship by SBS of the project has signalled a marked increase in awareness of, and interest in, this great national community project. We encouraged people over the Christmas period to give gifts of places on the History handrail, and the response made December our best month so far. What with this increased History Handrail activity and the huge interest in the Migration Book  - over 1000 stories now and 200,000 visitors to read them over the past few months it has been a real challenge for the Campaign Office to keep up, and I am extremely pleased that, apart from the odd hickup, we have been able to maintain the service standards that we have set from the beginning of this project. Please remember that if there any changes or additions that you would like to make to your entries or stories, you have only to contact us at the office, and it is easily done via email on the address above or 1300 300 046 This meant laptop during a short stay with family in Victoria over Christmas. During that time, I pulled out a copy of Keith Dunstan's Autobiography, "No Brains At All", and there in the introduction was a real description of just some of what we are achieving with the Immigration Bridge Australia project. I quote "Heaven only knows how many times I have thought about my great-grandfather John Dunstan, a tin miner who was born in Penryn, Cornwall, in 1833. He arrived in Adelaide with his wife, Nanny Collins, on 20 August 1854 aboard the William Prowse, and from there they proceeded overland to Ballarat. Almost certainly John Dunstan would have been at eureka, but I know nothing of his life, not a thing about that huge adventure of leaving home for ever, sailing out to the new colonies, establishing a life at the diggings. was he filled with fury over the injustices he found in the young colony? Did he and young Nanny have their triumphs? Did they turn up any gold? Who knows? there are no diaries, no letters. All gone.   "Or what about another great-grandfather, Henry Mitchell, a miner also? He came from Brunswick, Germany, in 1855. In 1861 he married Harriet Ann Andrews of Portreath, Cornwall, at Brown's Diggings on 3 March. What a fascinating occasion that must have been. But I know practically nothing about them except that great-grandfather Mitchell died young. Just ten years after his arrival in Australia, he was riding from Scarsdale to Smythesdale near Ballarat when a dog frightened his horse. the Ballarat Star on 10 January 1895 described it as a "yelping cur". Henry fell, suffered a hick from the horse and died. How did Harriet Ann and their two children survive after that? If only Harriet had written something down.   " Every family should have its own historian, biographer, diarist, someone to keep records of lives that may have seemed ordinary in 1850, 1880 or 19900, but are fascinating to us now. there is a modern craze for genealogy, a great desire to know about our ancestors, but most genealogists only uncover bare bones - births, deaths and marriages. We need to put humanity of those bones." (Keith Dunstan, "No Brains At All" (Penguin 1990)   I felt I had to include all that text, for like Keith Dunstan, reading those bare bones makes you almost desperate to know more. How important it is for us to record what we have available of the "humanity" so future Keith Dunstans will not have to wonder in the same way.   There were a couple of questions that I addressed on an ABC interview last week that I would like to emphasise in this newsletter for those who didn't have their radios on at the time. A bridge across Lake Burley Griffin at this site is part of the National Capital Plan and part of the Griffin Legacy plans, and Immigration Bridge Australia has the in principle support of the National Capital Authority and the ACT Government.    The Immigration Bridge Project is no different from any other major community project - if for any reason it is not able to proceed, then History Handrail partners would be entitled to a refund, less an adminstration fee of $15 per name place.   It is impossible to tell how much the timetable that we have set for this wonderful project is going to be affected by the world financial crisis. As I indicated above, we enjoyed a great December, and very solid support so far in Jan/Feb of this year.   At this stage, we hope to have the design brief finalised in July to take our current concept design on the path towards works approval. That process could take another two years, with construction taking another two years from then.  As I always say to the many who ring on 1300 300 046, we have reached a critical time for the recording of our immigration history. With the passing of each generation, first anecdote disappears and eventually the whole story is lost. For those six million who have come since the Second World War, many are passing on or getting very old, and their stories run the risk of dying with them. All these stories, from convict times til now, form a unique insight into the background and development of the Australian character, and we as a nation will be the poorer if they are lost. HAVE YOU READ A STORY TODAY? BETTER STILL, HAVE YOU RECORDED YOUR OWN FAMILY'S STORY? For information on our Ambassadors please click for the full list.

Registrations for places on the History Handrail -I know that we have at least  123 different countries of origin nominated.

Remember, we now have a new 1300 number. That means that anyone can contact us from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call. It is 1300 300 046. Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 24 February 2009

Newsletter Issue Number: 24 (October 2008)

There is no doubt the substantial sponsorship by SBS of the project has signalled a marked increase in awareness of, and interest in, this great national community project. consider the Migration Book. 65,000 individual visits have been made to this section alone over the last three months. As I always say to the many who ring on 1300 300 046, we have reached a critical time for the recording of our immigration history. With the passing of each generation, first anecdote disappears and eventually the whole story is lost. For those six million who have come since the Second World War, many are passing on or getting very old, and their stories run the risk of dying with them. All these stories, from convict times til now, form a unique insight into the background and development of the Australian character, and we as a nation will be the poorer if they are lost. On a recent trip to outback NSW and northern Victoria, I had an extended interview with Dash Lawrence on 999 ABC Broken Hill to speak about the project. Broken Hill has such a rich migrant history, and at the end of the interview, Dash asked me if I had spoken with the remarkable Christine Adams. As it turned out, I was to see her that very afternoon. With the assistance of the Broken Hill Migrant Heritage Committee, among many others, Christine set about recording the oral history of 80 of Broken Hill's migrants. Not only did this lead to the setting up of the Migration Museum there but to the publishing of "Sharing the Lode - the Broken Hill Migrant Story".     Christine Adams and I are very much of the same mind as to the importance of celebrating the migrant experience, and after an hour of discussing her work and our project, she has undertaken to edit as many as possible for the Migration Book. Anbody wanting a copy of her book should contact the Broken Hill Migrant Museum, or just ring us on 1300 300 046, and it will be organised. Leaving Broken Hill we travelled to Mildura for further meetings via Menindee and the Darling. On the way we stayed at Bindara homestead as guests of Bill and Barb Arnold. Bill was able to tell the story of his convict ancestor, a certain Mr Lucas, who after an early pardon, chose to go to Norfolk Island, where he built a very smart machine that processed grain at a great rate. On returing to Australia, he was asked by the Governor to build a huge version to help in feeding a community running very close to the wind on the food front. He built it on the hill which was later named Lucas Heights in his honour. Once again, we will now be receiving the full story in due course. HAVE YOU READ A STORY TODAY? BETTER STILL, HAVE YOU RECORDED YOUR OWN FAMILY'S STORY? On to Mildura where the task was to brief one of the region's favourite sons, master chef Stefano de Pieri, about the project and to seek his assistance in spreading the word about it. After an interview with the Sunraysia Daily, it was on to Griffith to follow up on the great contacts we had made there during our regional launch there. We are pleased to be able to add the names of renowned businesswoman and philanthropist Janet Holmes A'Court AC, and the wonderful Richard Gill OAM, Music Director of the Victorian Opera and star of Operatunity on the ABC.   For information on our Ambassadors please click for the full list.

The registrations for places on the History Handrail have been coming in at a very steady rate from all over Australia, and I know that we are at least at 113 different countries of origin nominated, but it may be more, as I have not had time to write a newsletter, let alone have have time for countries of origin revision!

Remember, we now have a new 1300 number. That means that anyone can contact us from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call. It is 1300 300 046. Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time

Any questions please call us at the office on 02 6367 3290 or 0412 265 344 or 1300 300 046

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 14 October 2008

 

Issue Number: 23 (July 2008)

The substantial sponsorship by SBS of the project has already brought it into many thousands more Australian households.  We are so pleased at the response to our television ad being shown featuring our design team member and celebrated Australian poet, Peter Skrzynecki (for those who don't know, pronounced Shennevsky). If Cadel Evans continues to do well in the Tour de France, who knows how many more will see the ad?Many friends have called to say they have seen the ad while burning the midnight oil watching the man wearing the little yellow jersey riding through the magnificent French countryside.  (He will be that much harder to see tonight, unfortunately!) We are all aware of the power of television advertising, but it is a good feeling to see visitation (it was fine before) going up threefold, History Handrail reservations coming in from towns and cities all over Australia at a great rate, and interest in submitting and reading the stories in the Migration Book ballooning. As many will know, The Immigration Bridge project records, tells and celebrates the stories of Australia's immigrants in two ways. First the registration of a place on the History Handrail is designed to not just display a name - it records a story in itself, a combination of full name (including maiden and married names for some migrants), the year of arrival and the country of origin. Consider; 1788 Thomas Harmsworth, England. Thomas was obviously a "First Fleeter" and if you do a search under Harmsworth in the Migration Book, you will discover Thomas was a Private in the Royal Marine Corps. "Thomas Harmsworth whilst having a very brief life in the New Colony has created history by being the father of Thomas Harmsworth Jnr who was the FIRST FREE SETTLER from the "FIRST FLEET" to die on Australian soil and his brother John was the LAST FREE SETTLER on the "FIRST FLEET" to die on Australian soil." and then; 1951 Werner Pohl, Germany, and 1951 Manfred Weber, Germany. Werner and Manfred were both "Jennings Germans" - the builder AV Jennings advertised in war ravaged Germany for carpenters and builders to assist in the building of houses in booming Canberra. Skilled labour shortages are not something confined to our time! They had two year visas with the option of staying on, which large numbers of them did. Last month people from 45 different countries came onto the website to read the stories of migration. At nearing 500 stories already, this is starting to become a significant and very accessible body of work about Australia's immigration history. In keeping stories to approx. two pages in length, we make it possible for even a brief visit to the site to be worthwhile, and encourage the greatest number of people to become storytellers.  HAVE YOU READ A STORY TODAY? BETTER STILL, HAVE YOU RECORDED YOUR OWN FAMILY'S STORY? The passing of Mick Gentleman's Feed-in-Tariff bill through the ACT Parliament means a big increase in the value of electricity that will be generated by the Solar Roof of the Bridge, and is a welcome development. We are pleased to be able to add the names of John Fairfax AM, & Victor Rebikoff OAM, to our list of Ambassadors for the Bridge.   For information on our Ambassadors please click for the full list.

How many of the tremendous rush of post-war migrants are now being lost to us and their stories with them? How many of the keepers of the family history of earlier migrations have not had their stories written down, or passed on in anything other than vague detail? As a nation we have an incredibly rich migrant history, but it will not amount to much for future generations if we don't record it now!

As I said in the last newsletter, we are in the process of producing new marketing materials, including a new brochure with application form. The website will also be getting a makeover. The colours and themes will reflect those in the TV ad, and will make the project more easily recognised out there in the marketplace.  It has been an exacting process - time consuming, but I hope to be able to have these out, and in every Bendigo Bank in Australia, very soon. Remember, we now have a new 1300 number. That means that anyone can contact us from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call. It is 1300 300 046. Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time

Any questions please call us at the office on 02 6367 3290 or 0412 265 344 or 1300 300 046

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 22July 2008

Newsletter Issue Number: 22 (May 2008)

We are about to enter a new era in the development of IBA. The substantial sponsorship by SBS of the project over the next two years will mean that many more Australians will get to hear of it, and recognise its importance as a national community project. We are in the process of making some minor changes to the ad (for those who haven't seen then original please click the link below) to recognise ActewAGL, which has increased and extended its valuable sponsorship of the project. http://www.spinifexinteractive.com/temp/Immigration_Bridge_TVC_wmv9_10Mar.wmv The election of a new government has presented opportunities to meet and brief new ministers and their staff. Obviously the Minister for Immigration features high on the list, but what about the the Minister for Environment (re the Solar Roof), the Minister for Home Affairs (re the ACT), the Assistant Treasurer (re Tax Status) and the Parliamentary Secretaries for Multicultural Affairs and Assisting the Prime Minister on Social Inclusion.  The Special Minister for State has also reponded positively to the project. The new government has also put the focus, through the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, on the role of the National Capital Authority in planning decisions. The Chairman and I met earlier with the Chair, Kate Lundy, and she encouraged us to make a submission to the inquiry. Accordingly, our Chairman, Laurie O'Donnell, Director Graham French and I appeared before the Committee, and it was a welcome opportunity to tell the story of the Bridge from a planning point of view. We had a good reception, and I have included the link to the Hansard recording of the proceedings below. http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/joint/commttee/J10771.pdf

Our decision to incorporate an integrated solar roof has attracted the interest of Dr Shengrong Shi and his company Suntech. As many will know, Dr Shi was educated at UNSW and formed part of their solar power research team before leaving to set up what has become one of the world's largest solar companies in China. I met with Dr Shi in Canberra recently, and he has expressed enthusiasm for the leadership role the Bridge will play in the promotion of solar power generation in Australia. Dr Shi has expressed the view that price parity (between coal and solar generation without the influence of subsidies) will occur within five years. This would be remendous news for the solar industry in Australia.  We now have interest from at least five solar producers, which underscores the status of this project as one of national and international significance.

I finally tracked down legendary Australian Rules player and coach, Ron Barrasi at the launch of his recent book in Sydney.  We discussed the IBA project, and he went away armed with information and an invitation to become one of our Ambassadors for the Bridge. We are very pleased that he has since accepted. Inspired by recent attempts to describe historical events, etc, in half a dozen words, Ron set himself the target to describe the value of the aims of this project in a similar fashion, hence;    "Co-operative cultures communicating create civilised community."  Ron Barassi AM.  For information on our Ambassadors please click for the full list.

I have been given a most interestin take on our first immigrants from Rupert Gerritsen, Chairman of Australia on the Map. Rupert emailed me after our meeting "It was good to meet you at last and quite a productive little meeting. I am attaching a chapter I have just written for a book called “The Dutch in WA” (Dr Nonja Peters is editor) which summarises the historical evidence establishing the various incidents that led to people from Dutch ships being permanently stranded on the west coast between 1629 and 1712. I will get back to you about the first two, Wouter Loos and Jan Pelgrom de Bye, marooned in 1629, after I have discussed with our council and the Dutch Embassy." It is a fascinating proposition that two survivors from the Batavia were in effect, our first immigrants, well before the First Fleet. I await futher information from Rupert and his organisation and will report on it in due course.

Joe Bailey, Chairman of the Australian Anglo-Indian Association, has been hugely active in promoting the Bridge. Numerous stories about the migration of Anglo-Indians after the war have surfaced, and make fascinating reading. Probably none more so than that of Stan Blackford - "The octogenarian Anglo-Indian stalwart currently lives in Adelaide.  His story depicts a short constituent of the Anglo-Indian in India at his time.  He is the author of the book "One Hell of a Life".  To read his story, click the folowing url http://www.immigrationbridge.com.au/www/248/1001127/displayarticle/1011104.html?pub=1&pagemode=2&objectid=1017611

Please keep the numbers of stories coming in, as I have said so many times, recording of them and making them readily available for the public is so important for Australia, especially at this stage of our history. A recent guest at the Sydney Writers' Festival, the most impressive Jeanette Winterson, said in an interview on the ABC reflecting on the problems of youth in Britain - "Everybody needs stories in their life - where they come from. Everybody needs roots". We are in the process of producing new marketing materials, including a new brochure with application form. The website will also be getting a makeover. The colours and themes will reflect those in the TV ad, and will make the project more easily recognised out there in the marketplace. I hope to be able to have these out, and in every Bendigo Bank in Australia, very soon. Remember, we now have a new 1300 number. That means that anyone can contact us from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call. It is 1300 300 046. Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time

Any questions please call us at the office on 02 6367 3290 or 0412 265 344 or 1300 300 046

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 29 May 2008

The post-Christmas period has been extremely busy for us, and there have been a number of very positive developments for Immigration Bridge Australia (IBA)  First please click on the link below http://www.spinifexinteractive.com/temp/Immigration_Bridge_TVC_wmv9_10Mar.wmv This the initial ad that SPINIFEX INTERACTIVE has put together for us to be shown on SBS TV as part of SBS's $200,000 2 year media sponsorship of the Immigration Bridge project. Spinifex has also put together a radio ad for us, but I have it as a file not a link at the moment, so for those interested, please contact us and we will email you a copy. Glen Joseph of Spinifex has been very supportive of the IBA project; producer Tania Templeton has gone to extraordinary lengths in pulling a team together that has given so much to the project; director Angela Pelizzari has done a wonderful job capturing the character of initial subject, poet Peter Skrzynecki, and others who will appear in later ads.

Our decision to incorporate a solar roof into the design is certainly creating interest. Meetings with companies wishing to supply advanced solar panels for the 4000 sqm solar roof, reveal that the output could be as high as 1.3MW by the time of construction. This combined with the anticipated "feed-in" tariffs proposed for the ACT, makes the roof a very valuable part of the bridge. As there are still a large number of unknowns as policies are prepared to achieve 2020 targets, it is case of "Watch this space", and I look forward to reporting further on this in future newsletters.

Our thanks to SBS and the National Archives for the exposure they gave to our project on "Shake your Family Tree" Day, and it was a pleasure once again to have air time with ABC morning presenter Alex Sloan on the same day.

CoAsIt has once again been very supportive, and I spent a very enjoyable evening addressing their attached Italian family History Group in Leichardt this week. They were very enthusiastic, and it was a pleasure spending time with them.

We welcome a number of new Ambassadors for the Bridge, such as Ian Kiernan AO, Hans Tholstrup AM, Basil Sellers AM, and Frank Costa. Please check out the full list.

We also have a new 1300 number. That means that anyone can contact us from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call. It is 1300 300 046.

We welcome a number new Ambassadors for the Bridge. I have written of them and their backgrounds in the Ambassadors section on this site. The full list of eminent Australians who are now Ambassadors appears there.

We have exciting news that I am preparing to send out in a newsletter (please subscibe if you haven't done so already), including a major sponsorship from SBS and some great news about the solar roof and its potentail output.

Issue Number: 20 (January 2008)

As we lead up to another Australia Day, when we once again celebrate the richness and diversity of our culture, I want to emphasise the role this Bridge will play in that celebration for generations to come. Below is a summary of the main questions that we have been asked about the project over the last year, and the answers that will bring you up to date about all aspects of the Immigration Bridge. Q & A – January 2008 (Printable version for general distribution) Q. What is the Immigration Bridge? A magnificent pedestrian bridge is to be built across Lake Burley Griffin in the nation’s capital to commemorate the contributions of the more than 10 million migrants who have permanently settled here in Australia since 1788. Immigration Bridge Australia will be one of the most spectacular and beautiful bridges ever conceived in Australia, deserving of world recognition. The Bridge will be imaginative and inspiring, a national monument in conception, design, construction and function. This Bridge will fulfil the recreational plans of the original designer of Canberra, Walter Burley Griffin in joining Acton Peninsula, home of the National Museum of Australia, with the Parliamentary Triangle. It will be both monument and valuable piece of infrastructure for the Nation’s capital. Q. Does the project have a website? Yes. www.immigrationbridge.com.au/. The website is quite comprehensive, and is updated on a regular basis. Visitors have access to a large amount of information about the project, to participate in the History Handrail program (see below), to lodge stories of migration in the Migration Book (see below), to subscribe to a newsletter, and to automatically pass on information to family and friends Q. Is this a Government project or initiative? No. The Immigration Bridge is one of the largest NATIONAL COMMUNITY projects undertaken in Australia. Immigration Bridge Australia is a registered Not-For-Profit (NFP) organisation formed solely to bring about the construction of the bridge. Upon completion the Immigration Bridge will presented as a “Gift to the Nation”. Q. How much will it cost and how is it to be funded? The cost has been put at $30m. As a community project it will be funded mainly by a combination of individual contributions (including the History Handrail Program), business sponsorships and income that will be generated as a result of the incorporation of a solar roof in the construction. Q. Does it have Government approval? The project has the broad support the National Capital Authority (NCA), representing the immediate past and current Commonwealth Governments, and the ACT Government. The land at the southern landing has been pledged as an in-kind contribution by the ACT government to the project, so one planning authority (the NCA) would be involved in the building approvals process. Messages of Support on http://www.immigrationbridge.com.au/ Q. What is the History handrail Program? The 800 metres of handrail on the Bridge will be constructed out of the best quality stainless steel at a cost of $2.2m. On the History Handrail will be laser engraved in perpetuity the full names, years of arrival and countries of origin of more than 200,000 who came to Australia to settle between 1788 and the current day. These “name places” are available to the public to purchase for $110 (inc GST) per each. This program will yield approx $22m to the project. Details of registrations are available online at http://www.immigrationbridge.com.au/ Q. What is the cut-off time for registrations for the History Handrail program? The program for name places to be engraved will cease only when the first 200,000 name places have been filled, and on current projections that will occur sometime in 2008. A structure will remain in place to continue the recording of names of migrants and their stories and making them available for the public to view and read. Q. What is the Migration Book? The Bridge project will include a Migration Book. It will record all the stories that we can gather about the Australian migration experience. It will be a huge book, magnificently bound and displayed under glass on the bridge, with a page turning each day of the year. Q. When will construction begin and what is the timetable for completion? After extensive planning, the project was officially launched in the Great hall of Parliament House on December 4th 2006. As a community project, building commencement times will depend of the pace of fundraising, but the revolutionary nature of the concept design, incorporating a solar roof, necessitates a year’s work by engineers of many disciplines, as well as our architects, before the final design drawings will be complete by the end of 2009. Construction will be undertaken from 2010 to 2012. The Bridge is therefore scheduled to be finished in time to be a centrepiece for the Centenary of Canberra in 2013. Q. Who are the major contractors on this project? What are the design specifications? Why a Solar Roof? It has been our objective to come up with a design that was uniquely Australian, and capable of holding pride of place on the world stage. To that end, we have put together a unique design team of architect, engineer, musician and poet, along with the project’s campaign director. James Grose of Bligh Voller Nield and Tristram Carfrae of ARUP Australia, world renowned composer Ross Edwards, acclaimed poet Peter Skrzynecki and Andrew Baulch have been collaborating to that end for a year now. It is anticipated that contracts for the construction will be let in the next twelve (12) months. The Bridge will stretch 400 metres across Lake Burley Griffin from the National Museum of Australia to the land between Lennox Gardens and the southern end of Commonwealth Avenue in the Parliamentary precinct, elevated to a minimum height of 12 metres, allowing easy passage for all water craft. We have asked the design team to incorporate cutting-edge technology in terms of design and materials. The pedestrian walkway is six (6) metres wide covered by a 10 metre wide canopy. Its streamlined, undulating design reflects and frames the rhythmic beauty of Canberra’s iconic Brindabella Mountain Range in the background. The sculpted stainless steel handrail running the length of the bridge will carry the names of over 200,000 migrants whose names will be engraved on its surface.  A laminated glass upstand will sit above the handrail, etched with fascinating details and illustrations of the Migration story.   The Handrail of the highest quality stainless steel will be treated and polished in such a way that years of human touch will enhance its patina, imbuing it with a sense of living, continuous connection between past, present and future visitors. The handrail will be treated to protect it against graffiti. The Bridge will be sheltered by a 4000 sqm glass solar roof which will feed electricity back into the grid, generating an estimated 660kW of power and saving 770 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum. The laminated glass panels will let light through onto the surfaces of the Bridge, and the roof will perform the dual functions of shelter for visitors and commuters, and electricity generator. Q. How did the Immigration Bridge project come about? A committee was formed in 2001 in Cooma with the object of bringing to fruition the idea of local resident Gianni De Bortoli, to build a monument honouring the contributions that migrants have made to Australia. After discussions with the NCA it was decided that this should take the form of a pedestrian bridge spanning Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, linking the site of the National Museum of Australia to the Parliamentary Triangle. With the publishing of the Griffin Legacy, it is now clear that such a bridge will fulfill Walter Burley Griffin’s original plans for a continuous flow of recreational activity in our nation’s capital. The Immigration Bridge builds on one of the Plan’s eight propositions, which is to allow for a seamless link between national attractions by providing improved lakeside networks, in this case in the form of a pedestrian bridge. While the Bridge is a stunning example of contemporary architecture incorporating cutting-edge technology, its elegant and unobtrusive design sympathetically frames the lakeside environment and its surrounds, in particular Canberra’s Brindabella Mountain Ranges. Q. Who is on the Board? Immigration Bridge Australia is a company limited by guarantee, with a Board chaired by Lieutenant General Laurie O’Donnell AC (Retd). Board members are Vin Good (Deputy Chairman), Richard Lawson RFD (Treasurer), Geoff Bowland, the Hon Stephen Charles QC, Johnny De Bortoli, Graham French, Emmanuel Notaras, and Jane Singleton AM. Special Adviser to the Board is eminent company director Jim Dominguez CBE AM, Solar Adviser is Professor Andrew Blakers of ANU, and Campaign Director Andrew Baulch is responsible for project development and fundraising. Business and Corporate Governance advice is provided by WalterTurnbull. Q. Who are the Ambassadors for the Bridge? Eminent Australians, including Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Sir Arvi Parbo, Professor Ian Frazer and many others have accepted invitations to become ambassadors in support of the project. For a full list http://www.immigrationbridge.com.au/ Q. Why is immigration being celebrated in this way? It’s important to remember what the Immigration Bridge symbolises – it is being built to commemorate the extraordinary contributions made by migrants to Australia and the wonderful opportunities provided by Australia to those who have migrated here since 1788. It’s about a continuum – migration involves a journey physically, emotionally and notionally - the Immigration Bridge is designed to acknowledge and celebrate the migration story. That said there are some interesting facts about our immigration history Today, nearly one in four Australians was born overseas.  Over 10 million migrants from 213 ethnic groups and countries have settled here since 1788 with over 6 million of those arriving since 1945. Australia continues to accept over 100,000 migrants a year Migrants have always and will continue to make a contribution to Australian society, culture and prosperity and ultimately to shape the national character. The Bridge has strong links with the Snowy Scheme, which set the tone for future Australian multi-racial harmony - 60,000 migrants from 30 different countries working together on Australia’s greatest engineering undertaking. Q. Who are the key sponsors? Bendigo Bank is a principal sponsor and the banking sponsor for the project. ActewAGL has also made a substantial commitment to the project. Snowy Hydro Ltd and the late Harry and Helen Notaras & family provided initial support for the project, and PricewaterhouseCoopers has provided in-kind support. Architects Bligh Voller Nield, engineers Arup Australia, Ross Edwards and Peter Skrzynecki have all given considerable in-kind support to the project during the design process. SBS has agreed to a substantial 2 year media sponsorship. We are currently actively seeking further sponsorships. Q. How many ethnic groups are involved with the Immigration Bridge? The organisers of the project are in the process of making contact with as many as possible of the various ethnic groups and nationalities which account for Australia’s migrant population and their descendants. All are welcome and we would like to encourage as many as possible to participate by visiting our website on http://www.immigrationbridge.com.au/.We already have attracted registration of migrants coming from 117 different countries on the History Handrail. Q. Is there any single ethnic group which is represented more than others? No. The aim is to commemorate all migration to Australia with a magnificent bridge and through the collection of stories and names which will be incorporated in the construction. We hope that all ethnic groups and nationalities will be represented through these contributions. Registrations from 1788 through to 2007 have indicated strong representation from English, Irish and Scottish migrants in the 19th Century, as well as from a multitude of countries after the Second World War. Q. Where do Aboriginal people fit in such a project? The Board of Immigration Bridge Australia wishes to acknowledge the Ngunnawal People who are the custodians of the land on which the Bridge will stand. As the Bridge salutes immigrants who have come here since the First Fleet, it acknowledges they were coming to an already populated country. This recognition of prior occupation is of major significance to this national community project. Aboriginal culture celebrates the value of stories and the need to pass them on from generation to generation. This project therefore salutes Aboriginal Culture by collecting and recording all the stories of migration in the Migration Book to be published online and in a book on display under glass on the Bridge. Already hundreds of stories have been collected http://www.immigrationbridge.com.au/ There will be large maps on the Bridge depicting the tribal and language areas of Aboriginal peoples. Q. Has the design been sympathetic to the original intentions of the Griffin Legacy? (And what is the Griffin Legacy?) The Griffin Legacy project aims to comprehensively examine Walter and Marion Griffin’s designs for the National Capital from almost a century ago (1912), in terms of both structural and symbolic content, and to recapture and enlarge upon the spirit of those concepts to present a renewed vision for Central Canberra. The Immigration Bridge builds on one of the Plan’s eight propositions, which is to allow for a seamless link between national attractions by providing improved lakeside networks, in this case in the form of a pedestrian bridge. While the Bridge is a stunning example of contemporary architecture incorporating cutting-edge technology, its elegant and unobtrusive design sympathetically frames the lakeside environment and its surrounds, in particular Canberra’s Brindabella Mountain Ranges.

Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time.

Any questions please call us at the office on 02 6367 3290 or 0412 265 344

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 24 January 2008

Issue Number: 19 (December, 2007)

As I preparing to send out this newsletter, the tally of countries from which migrants have come to Australia from which registrations have come has risen to 99! While this is great achievement in itself, I can't help wondering which name will come up as #100. A Canberra resident from Sierra Leone has telephoned to say he will be registering at the nearest Bendigo Bank, but he will be competing with the online registrations which are racing in as people buy them as Christmas presents, and those who send them in to WalterTurnbull where they are banked and forwarded to us here in the office for processing. STOP PRESS!! Our Canberran Yembeh Mansaray (Sierra Leone 2002) has just registered his name making SIERRA LEONE the 100th country to appear as a country of origin on the History Handrail. At the same time as we await the arrival of country #100, the stories continue to roll in. People from all over the world log onto the website every day to read them. I was very pleased to be a guest at the ABC Studios in Sydney, where livewire radio host Adam Spencer hosted a live "The world is Sydney" program to celebrate the diversity of countries that go to make up the population of Sydney. I met close to 200 people and outlined our wonderful project to them. It was great to meet Adam, his wife Mel, roving reporter Phil Ashley-Brown and the fabulous Peter Zmijewshi, the weather forecaster! The enthusiasm of everyone for our project was uplifting. Jane and I raced down on the weekend to attend the 60th anniversary gathering at Bonegilla Migrant Processing Centre, near Albury, where more than 300,000 migrants were housed over the years 1947 to 1971.  We met and spoke to the hundreds attending - former residents and their children and grandchildren, and it only served to underline the importance of this project that at the 50th Anniversary (obviously 10 years ago) there were 11,000 people! The numbers are dwindling at a frightening rate, and it is so important that we collect their stories now before they are lost to us. (My thanks to ABC radio presenters Anne Delaney in Wagga and Narelle Graham in Albury for interviewing me and highlighting the project over the weekend.) In case you didn't know, Australia now has another Welsh migrant success story in our new Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. (you can read from her letter of support) As I have flagged in the Latest News section, our brochure (which had a print run of 100,000) has now a couple of shortcomings because of its age. It doesn't mention the Migration Book and its importance to our overall project, and it mentions a date for information to be supplied by those who reserved places on the History Handrail without a name, country of origin, etc. attached. That date 1 December 2007 was NOT meant to be interpreted as a cut-off date for registrations. We will cut off when we have recived the full 200,000 names. At the current rate that will be sometime in 2008, but I advise those putting off their registrations to not do so for much longer, as there is huge push towards Christmas, and the focus will then be on Australia Day, not to mention promotions by sponsors, Bendigo Bank and SBS.

I was a guest at the Forum and AGM of the Refugee Council of Australia recently at Macquarie Street. What a great bunch of people. It is instructive to note the considerable contributions to our society by the more than 300,000 refugees who have been able to settle here since the Second World War. Yet another major organisation that is very supportive of our project.

At the presentation of "In first Person" at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, six prominent Hungarians told their stories of migration in digital format before an enthusiastic audience. The stories were very moving, and afterwards I joined the six to field questions from the audience. The question that comes to mind was the one asking what kind of "counselling" there was available to them at Bonegilla (five of the families had resided there) given the trauma they had been through in getting to Australia. There was general mirth, and all explained there was none, but the acts of kindness by individuals and families sometimes more than made up for that. For example....

The father of one of the storytellers was determined to get himself a job and extract his family from the camp. He took himself to the Hume Highway, and finally a truck driver took him all the way to Sydney and dropped him in a likely spot. After spending three days sleepng in a park, local police took him in, washed his clothes while he showered and spent a more comfortable night in a cell, and they then took him to a spot where he had a chance to meet fellow Hungarian speakers (he discovered they had put ten pounds in his pocket). Finally he met some, and three weeks later he had a job in the Holden Factory.

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We are rushing headlong towards Christmas - I can imagine few better and more lasting Christmas presents than a place on the History Handrail  Make sure you give us an email address as the system automatically generates a certificate with details of both giver and the name to be celebrated, along with year of arrival and country of origin.  REMEMBER there are 3 ways to register for places on the History Handrail ONLINE using a credit card, or DOWNLOAD an application form on the same page and forward to WalterTurnbull, GPO Box 1955, Canberra ACT 2601, or go to any BENDIGO BANK anywhere in Australia. They not only have application forms, but you can pay over the counter. Bendigo Bank will have a major promotion of the project over December and January

Please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time.

Remember CHRISTMAS! Any questions please call us at the office on 02 6367 3290 or 0412 265 344

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 10 December 2007

PLEASE NOTE: HISTORY HANDRAIL DEADLINE Our current brochure is reaching the end of its natural life (more than 100,000 having been printed!) and a new version will be coming out soon. At the top of the Reserve a place on the History Handrail form it says "Please tick the box if details are to be provided at a later date - Details are to be provided no later than December 1, 2007." This was and is not a cutoff time for registering names. As construction of the Handrail will not start before the end of next year, in the new brochure that date will be extended to December 1 2008. The cutoff time for registering names has always been when we have the 200,000 names. At current rates this will happen sometime next year, and I advise all to use the pre Christmas and Australia Day period to register names and save potential disappointment.  

Cricket Australia has kindly forwarded us the list of players, both men and women, who have represented Australia at cricket after coming here as migrants. We will be endeavouring to highlight all fields of sporting and cultural achievement in this space over the coming year - so watch this space! 

MEN	BIRTHPLACE
ALEXANDER, G	Oxfordshire (England)
BANNERMAN, C	Woolwich, Kent (England)
CARTER, H	Halifax, Yorkshire (England)
COOPER, BB	Dacca (India)
COOPER, WH	Maidstone, Kent (England)
DELL, AR	Lymington, Hampshire (England)
GRIMMETT, CV	Caversham, Dunedin (New Zealand)
GROUBE, TU	New Plymouth, Taranaki (New Zealand)
HODGES, JR	Knightsbridge (London)
HORAN, TP	Middleton, County Cork (Ireland)
JACKSON, A	Rutherglen, Lanarkshire (Scotland)
JULIAN, BP	Hamilton (New Zealand)
KELLY, TJD	County Waterford (Ireland)
KENDALL, TK	Bedford, Bedfordshire (England)
MACLEAY, KH	Bedford-on-Avon, Wiltshire (England)
MCDONNELL, PS	Kennington, London, Middlesex (England)
MIDWINTER, WE	St Briavel's, Gloucestershire (England)
MUSGROVE, HA	Surbiton, Surrey (England)
SELLERS, RHD	Bulsar (India)
SYMONDS, A	Birmingham, West Midlands (England)
WESSELS, KC	Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (South Africa)
WHATMORE, DF	Colombo (Ceylon)
Women
Melanie Jones	Barnstaple, Devon, England
Jan Lumsden	Musselbourough, Scotland
Lindsay Reeler	Zambia
Lisa Sthalekar	Pune, India
Stephanie Theodore	France

Issue Number: 18 (October, 2007)

We are rushing headlong towards Christmas - I can imagine few better and more lasting Christmas presents than a place on the History Handrail  Make sure you give us an email address as the system automatically generates a certificate with details of both giver and the name to be celebrated, along with year of arrival and country of origin. As I was about to send out this newsletter, I received a letter from Carlo Salteri AC accepting with pleasure our invitation to become an Ambassador to the Bridge. One of our foremost businessmen, co-founder of Transfield, and founder of Tenix, he wrote ""I was lucky that in 1951 I came to Australia to build a 132 kv power line from Talleware power station to Homebush sub. station. I liked the people and this country and decided to make it my home, never regretting it". We are proud to have his support for this great project. We are pleased to announce that SBS has agreed to support the project in a major way over the next two years through a combination of radio and TV promotion. They will be an official media partner of Immigration Bridge Australia. For those who haven't checked the latest list of ambassadors to the project, both SBS Chairman, Carla Zampatti AM, and Deputy Chairman Gerald Stone feature among their number. Australian cricketers born overseas noted. Cricket Australia becomes the first of what we anticipate will be many Australian cultural and sporting organisations to furnish us with details of representatives who were migrants. In the current context, we are very pleased that Andrew Symonds came to live here as a youngster. Check out the full list. What an impressive event is the Queensland Multicultural Festival. Tens of thousands crowded into the Roma Street Parklands on October the 14th to see performances from people of a multitude of backgrounds sing, dance, perform and rejoice. I was very pleased to be asked to speak, and returned quite hoarse from talking to so many people and organisations about our wonderful project. Not only have Queenslanders embraced the project, but their institutions are now offering to assist in whatever way they can.  Our Solar Roof has been the focus of much admiration and attention with the accent on the effects of climate change. I outlined our intentions for the roof and for the Solar Stock Exchange to last months meeting of ANZSES (the Australia and New Zealand Solar Energy Society), and we have inspired a project that could end up installing up to 20 hectares of solar roof in regional centres of NSW. It is a fascinating industry, with so much promise for the future, and so much chaos with governments both existing and aspiring trying to wrestle with carbon credits, feed-in tariffs, installation rebates, renewable energy certificates, pricing of green energy, and renewable targets which will help the industry make investment decisions going into the future. We are in the thick of it, talking to suppliers, politicians, energy retailers, and solar panel manufacturers and suppliers. I will try to provide regular updates on this moveable feast.   Sir Arvi Parbo expressed particular interest in the solar roof, saying that his mining exploration parties used solar power for their camps more than 30 years ago, where he found it much superior to carting generators and diesel around. Sir Arvi is an Ambassador to the Bridge, and I briefed him about developments in the project in Melbourne last week.

Co.As.It are wonderful institutions delivering numerous services to Australian Italians and teaching the Italian language. Co.As.It in NSW (www.coasit.org.au) next year celebrate their 40th anniversary and want to celebrate it with our project. They are going to encourage and help all Italians to record their stories of migration. Chief Executive Andrea Comastri and Italian Heritage Project Officer Linda Nellor have offered to help facilitate this process. As all states and territories have individual Co.As.It. organisations, I also met with Rose Patti and Paolo Baracchi of the Victorian arm (www.coasit.com.au) this week and they have come up with a number of exciting suggestions for collecting migration stories and encouraging all to take part in the History handrail program.

It was a privilege to attend and be invited to speak at the Springvale Neighbourhood House AGM last week when I was in Melbourne. I was so impressed with the numbers of cultures that were represented and supported and with their extensive programs to teach English. Samar Mougharbel, Gamini Fonseka and their great numbers of volunteers and teachers are doing an inspiring job.

Being processed in the office are registrations of migrants from Sierra Leone and St Lucia and Bavaria has also been nominated. Bavaria, like Prussia, was a kingdom after the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, and remained that way until 1871. These will take the list to 93 over the next few days, and I ask you to help us get to the magic 100 by looking at the list  and contacting friends who may have origins in those countries yet to be named. I am continually asked about countries of origin, and would like to emphasise that we are wanting to record the names of countries as they were when individual immigrants departed for Australia.

Question - was Sophie (de Montmollin), Governor Charles Latrobe's wife the first Swiss migrant? (Charles was first Governor of Victoria) I hope that we can with your help record some of the history of each migrant group to supplement the individual stories of migration in the Migration Book. I know if we try to identify the first migrant from each country we are likely to open up a huge can of worms, but a plaque with that sort of information, years and strength of migration, etc, is what we are intending to put in place with your assistance.

REMEMBER there are 3 ways to register for places on the History Handrail ONLINE using a credit card, or DOWNLOAD an application form on the same page and forward to WalterTurnbull, GPO Box 1955, Canberra ACT 2601, or go to any BENDIGO BANK anywhere in Australia. They not only have application forms, but you can pay over the counter. Bendigo Bank will have a major promotion of the project over December and January

With great articles written in such papers as the Dutch Courier in addition to the coming media partnership with SBS increasing numbers of Australians are finding out about the Bridge. Too many still unaware of it, so please help us get the word out about this NATIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT - just click to make it easy through our “Tell a Friend” section. The system does it for you automatically. You can enter up to five friends' emails at the one time. If you think their firewall might block it, perhaps you could send a personal email.

Remember CHRISTMAS! Any questions please call us at the office on 02 6367 3290 or 0412 265 344

Andrew Baulch Campaign Director 25October 2007

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For any person wishing to purchase a place on the History Handrail from now on, CERTIFICATES will be automatically generated PROVIDED YOU SUPPLY US AN EMAIL ADDRESS with your purchase. What better present to give than one that will be there for your children and grandchildren (and beyond) to see?

This will be a spectacular year for the development of the Bridge, as we take the project to each and every State and Territory of Australia with a series of launches. In the meantime our design team will be going through the rigorous process of taking our concept to certification.