Polish Community in Australia – Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide

Introduction

Poles in Australia form a large and dispersed community – it is estimated that there are over 200,000 people of Polish descent. The main concentrations are in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide. The Polish diaspora has a long history – from waves after World War II (DP), through the Solidarity emigration in the 1980s, to more recent economic waves.

Brief History

• 1947-1951: ~70,000 Poles arrive as DPs (Displaced Persons) after the war
• 1981-1989: Solidarity emigration – refugees from martial law
• 1990-2010: Smaller economic waves
• 2010-present: Skilled migration; mainly IT, engineers, doctors, nurses

Melbourne – Largest Polish Community

• 50-70 thousand people of Polish descent
• Polish neighborhoods:
  • Sunshine, St Albans (western suburbs) – historic Polish
  • Footscray, Yarraville
  • Niddrie, Pascoe Vale (northern)
• Polish churches: Holy Spirit (East Camberwell), Our Lady of the Visitation (Sunshine), Pope John XXIII (Stanmore)
• Polish shops: European Foods, Continental Deli
• Dom Polski – Polish Community Council in Melbourne
• Saturday schools: Polish School Marymede

Sydney

• 40-50 thousand people of Polish descent
• Polish neighborhoods:
  • Marayong, Plumpton, Quakers Hill (west)
  • Ashfield, Croydon (inner west)
• Polish church: Our Lady Queen of Poland (Marayong)
• Polish Sports Club "Polonia" – Hampden Park
• Consulate General of the Republic of Poland: 10 Trelawney Street, Woollahra
• Polish Federal Credit Union

Perth (Western Australia)

• 30-40 thousand Poles
• Neighborhoods: Maylands, Bayswater, Mt Lawley
• Polish church: St. John the Evangelist (Maylands)
• Dom Polski (Polish Centre) – Bayswater
• The community is smaller but active

Adelaide (South Australia)

• 20-30 thousand Poles
• Neighborhoods: Ottoway, Pennington (north)
• Dom Polski – Ottoway
• Historic Polish community from DP waves

Brisbane, Canberra, and Others

• Smaller communities (a few thousand each)
• Brisbane: Polish Centre in Milton
• Canberra: Polish Embassy + Polish Club

National Polish Organizations

• Polish Community Council of Australia – umbrella organization
• Australian Polish Historical Society
• Federation of Polish Organizations in Australia
• Polish Caritas Australia

Polish Media

• SBS Radio Polish – public radio in Polish (daily)
• Tygodnik Polski (Melbourne) – the longest-running Polish periodical in AU
• Express Wieczorny (Sydney)
• Radio Polonia Sydney – internet-based
• Facebook: "Polacy w Australii" (40k+), "Polonia Melbourne", "Polacy w Sydney"

Polish Saturday Schools

• A dozen schools in the largest cities
• Saturday classes from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM; Polish + history + religion
• Tuition 800-1,500 AUD/year
• Also available Polish HSC (matura in Polish) in NSW and VIC

Consulates and Embassy

• Embassy of the Republic of Poland: 7 Turrana Street, Yarralumla, Canberra ACT
• Consulate General in Sydney: 10 Trelawney St, Woollahra NSW
• Honorary Consulates: Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane
• Services: passports, powers of attorney, civil status records, ZUS, pensions
• Appointments: e-konsulat.gov.pl

Festivals and Events

• Polish Festival – various cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth)
• Polish Independence Day (November 11) – celebrations
• Polish Easter – blessing of food in Polish parishes
• Polish Christmas (December 24) – Wigilia in organizations
• Polish Film Week – Sydney, Melbourne

Polish Business in Australia

• Polish Business Network
• Polish construction, transport, IT companies – many in Melbourne
• Polish restaurants: Tunia (Melbourne), Polskie Smaki (Sydney), Polish Star (Perth)
• Polish bakeries and confectioneries in every major city

How to Get Involved in the Community

• Polish church – the strongest network of contacts
• Dom Polski (Polish Centre) – events, courses, dance
• Polish Sports Club "Polonia" – soccer in Sydney, Melbourne
• Polish grocery stores – bulletin boards
• Local Facebook groups
• SBS Radio Polish – community news

What You Should Know

• The Polish community in AU is more dispersed than in the USA – less concentration in one neighborhood
• The second generation often does not speak Polish – Saturday schools are crucial
• The Australian "Polish" accent after years – common
• Poles in AU often have dual citizenship (PL allows it)
• Holidays in PL – expensive flights (16-30 hours, 2-3 thousand AUD)