Everyone who has migrated to Australia has their own story to tell.
Join us to unpack some diverse experiences of migration and uncover people's varied reasons for migrating.
This workshop examines Australia’s migration from Federation until today, sharing personal stories and treasured artefacts of migrants from post-war Europe, ten-pound poms, Vietnamese refugees, and more.
Using primary and secondary sources from the museum's collections, we’ll discover how migration patterns have been impacted by push and pull factors such as government policies, world events and changing social attitudes.
Students will develop their skills in historical empathy and consider the invaluable contributions of migrants to the development of modern Australia’s national identity.
Cost: $100 per group of maximum 30 students to arrange a private Zoom meeting for your school at a time and date of your choosing.
This session is periodically offered as a free webinar – please check the Maritime Museum’s profile on DART Learning for upcoming sessions.
Program duration: 1 hour
Technology: This session will be run as a Zoom meeting. If you would prefer to use another videoconferencing service (e.g. Teams) please let us know at the time of booking.
Accessibility: This is an online lesson delivered through zoom. If you or your students have any access or support requirements, please let us know when booking so we can ensure everyone has access to this learning opportunity.
Curriculum Links
Stories of groups of people who migrated to Australia since Federation (including from ONE country of the Asia region) and reasons they migrated (ACHASSK136)
Elaborations:
- comparing push and pull factors that have contributed to people migrating to Australia (for example, economic migrants and political refugees) from a range of places
- exploring individual narratives using primary sources (for example, letters, documents and historical objects), interviewing and recording an oral history, and presenting the journey and circumstances of arrival based on the sources (for example, through drama)
- describing cultural practices related to family life, beliefs and customs of newly arrived migrant groups and comparing these with those of the communities in which they settled within Australia
- connecting stories of migration to students’ own family histories (where appropriate)
The contribution of individuals and groups to the development of Australian society since Federation (ACHASSK137)
Elaborations:
- examining population data that show the places of birth of Australia’s people at one or more points of time in the past and today
- investigating the role of specific cultural groups in Australia’s economic and social development (for example, the cattle industry, the Snowy Mountains Scheme, the pearling industry)
- considering notable individuals in Australian public life across a range of fields (for example, the arts, science, sport, education), including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a range of cultural and social groups, and women and men drawn from the National Living Treasures list, the Australian Dictionary of Biography or the Australian Honours lists)
- considering the contribution of groups and organisations in the development of Australia in the twentieth century (for example, the CSIRO, environmental action groups, farming cooperatives)
HT3-3 identifies change and continuity and describes the causes and effects of change on Australian society
HT3-5 applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication
Content
Stories of groups of people who migrated to Australia (including from ONE Asian country) and the reasons they migrated, such as World War II and Australian migration programs since the war (ACHHK115)
The contribution of individuals and groups, including Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders and migrants, to the development of Australian society, for example in areas such as the economy, education, sciences, the arts, sport (ACHHK116)
Students:
- use sources such as oral history to research stories of migration to Australia, including the experiences of ONE Asian family, explaining reasons for migration
- explain how migrants have contributed to Australian society
- using a range of sources, research and describe the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other groups to Australian society
The stories and perspectives of people who migrated to Australia, including from one Asian country, and the reasons they migrated (VCHHK095)
- investigate migration programs to Australian since World War II comparing push and pull factors that have contributed to people migrating to Australia, for example, economic migrants and political refugees
- exploring individual narratives using primary sources, for example, letters, documents and historical objects, interviewing and recording an oral history, dramatising the journey and circumstances of arrival based on the sources
- describing cultural practices related to family life, beliefs and customs of newly-arrived migrant groups and comparing these with those of the communities in which they settled within Australia
- connecting stories of migration to students’ own family histories (where appropriate)
AC9HS6K03 the motivation of people migrating to Australia since Federation and throughout the 20th century, their stories and effects on Australian society, including migrants from the Asia region
Elaborations:
- exploring push and pull factors that have contributed to people migrating to Australia, including economic factors, conflict and seeking political refuge, and inquiring into why particular 20th century migrant groups came to Australia; for example, migrants from Europe following the Second World War, migrants from South-East Asia due to conflict, the Assisted Passage Migration scheme
- exploring individual narratives, using primary sources such as letters, documents and historical objects to interview and record an oral history of, for example, migration related to students’ own family histories, and then outlining the journey and circumstances of arrival based on the sources, using approaches such as drama or digital presentations.
- examining population data that show the places of birth of Australia’s people at one or more points of time in the past and today
- investigating the role of specific cultural groups in Australia’s economic and social development in, for example, the cattle industry, the Snowy Mountains Scheme and the pearling industry
- considering the contributions to Australia of notable Australians who were migrants or from migrant families, across a range of fields; for example, Hieu Van Le (the 35th Governor of South Australia), Sir Frank Lowy, Marita Cheng, Dame Marie Bashir
Stories of groups of people who migrated to Australia (including from one Asian country), the reasons they migrated (e.g. push–pull factors) and their contributions to society (ACHASSK136)(ACHASSK137)