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CHRISTMAS IN MALTA >> Click here
50th ANNIVERSARY RE-UNION
[1946-1996]
FIRST POST-WAR ARRIVALS TO AUSTRALIA
FROM MALTA and GOZO
1995, mainstream Australia commemorated the 50th anniversary of post-war migration to Australia. Our Maltese community was also among the first to arrive on these shores. In fact. the first boat with Maltese immigrants arrived in Australia on the 8th of February 1946, a date which is gnificant in Australian-Maltese migration history.
To commemorate this event, a reunion was organised for Sunday lst December 1996 at La Valette Social Centre, 175 Walters Road, Blacktown NSW at 5.00pm.
To date, contact has been made with some post-war Rangitiki pioneers and their settlement experiences are being recorded for oral history purposes. Contact with others has yet to be made and the Maltese community is being asked to participate by letting us know of any who came on the Rangitiki so that the migration history records become complete.
The boat was a New Zealand troopship carrying 61 Maltese and many war brides. Some of the Maltese were former residents of Australia and were joining their families at long last. Here is the program of the commemorative evening:-
PROGRAM
Visits Maltese Chaplaincy at La Valette Social Centre Inc.
Meets Maltese Community Council of NSW Delegates
Official Welcome by Mark Caruana, President La Valette Social Centre
Maltese -Australian Heritage Preservation by Dr Barry York, Australian National University
Brief Snapshots from Rangitiki Pioneers by George Griffiths, Research & Author - Migration History
Ghana Spirtu Pront by La Valette Folksingers
Presentation of Official Sponsorship by Mr Emmanuel Ciappara, Head Bank Of Valletta. Sydney
Keynote Address by Prof Fr Peter Serracino Inglott, former Rector of the University of Malta
Refreshments
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MESSAGE by AUGUSTA FENECH
My name is AUGUSTA Fenech, maiden name GAUCI, and I was one of the passengers on the Rangitiki.
First of all, I would like to congratulate Mark Caruana for organising this re-union to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first post-war ship with Maltese migrants - Rangitiki - and for the invitation to me and all my family. Congratulations also to all of you that migrated to Australia on the Rangitiki soon after the War, knowing full well of the dangers that lurked in the sea.
I was only a 12-year-old child at the time and didn't understand how dangerous the sea voyage was then, but thank God we got to Australia SAFE. I came back to Australia with my Mum, Mary Gauci, and my two sisters, my eldest sister, Theresa [now deceased] and a younger sister Nancy.
Mum and Dad, Mary and Charles Gauci. and my sister Nancy cannot be with you tonight as they have over an hour's drive, and the drive is too long for Dad. They wish all the migrants from the Rangitiki all the best. I wish we could havebeen there with but we live in far north Queensland, near Cairns, which is quite some distance from NSW.
I still remember that all the women and children were in two cabins and not much room to move around. as it was a troopship and had not been converted to a passenger ship. In one of the cabins, we were 28 women and children, and the other cabin had 32, and the men were down below.
I'm not quite sure but I think there were only 10 children on the ship, Theresa Bezzina, Rose Aquilina. my two sisters and myself, and a baby. From what I can recall, my oldest sister, Theresa Bezzina and I used to go there to the picture, and one of the stewards used to give us crackers, cheese and olives. We were so pleased at having such a big feed.
I wish you all a great night for all of you. I wish everyone of you all the best. Have a wonderful time. God bless. GRAZZI.
AUGUSTA FENECH GAUCI
Mareeba, North Queensland
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LIST OF MALTESE PASSENGERS ON THE RANGITIKI
Departed Malta: 10th January 1946 Arrived in Melbourne: 8th February 1946
|
No |
Official name |
Occupation |
Born in |
Age |
Destination |
|
I |
Albani, Harry Mr |
|
Haz-Zabbar |
36 |
Sydney |
|
2 |
Albani, Carmela Mrs |
|
|
35 |
Sydney |
|
3 |
Albani, Michael Mister |
child |
|
8 |
Sydney |
|
4 |
Albani, Mary Miss |
child |
|
7 |
Sydney |
|
5 |
Matilde Miss |
child |
|
5 |
Sydney |
|
6 |
Aquilina, Joseph Mister |
child |
|
9 |
Sydney |
|
7 |
Aquilina, Bartholomew |
child |
|
8 |
Sydney |
|
8 |
Aquilina, Rose Miss |
child |
|
6 |
Sydney |
|
9 |
Camilleri, Carmela Mrs |
housewife |
Gozo Gharb |
28 |
Sydney |
|
10 |
Camilleri, Michael Mister |
child |
Australia-born |
8 |
Sydney |
|
I |
Carabott, Salvino Mr |
fisherman |
Marsaxlokk |
24 |
Sydney |
|
12 |
Caruana, Vincenza Mrs |
|
Zejtun |
62 |
Sydney |
|
13 |
Caruana, Angelina Mrs |
|
Zejtun |
35 |
Sydney |
|
14 |
Caruana, Francis Mr |
|
Zejtun |
|
Sydney |
|
15 |
Cassar, Rev Robert OC |
Carmelite priest |
Senglea |
27 |
Sydney |
|
16 |
Chircop, Edgar Mr |
D'yard recorder |
Cospicua |
|
Sydney |
|
17 |
Chircop, Joseph Mr |
|
Cospicua |
29 |
Sydney |
|
18 |
Cuschieri Bartolornew Mr |
barber |
Gharghur |
27 |
Sydney |
|
19 |
Sciberras, Norma Miss |
|
|
19 |
Sydney |
|
20 |
Scicluna, Edward Mr |
|
Harnrun |
49 |
Sydney |
|
21 |
Xuereb, Michael Mr |
|
Xewkija, Gozo |
30 |
Sydney |
|
22 |
Galea, Anthony Mr |
market gardener |
Mgarr Malta |
22 |
Sydney |
|
23 |
Pace, John Mr |
dockyard fitter |
Siggiewi |
23 |
Sydney |
|
24 |
Grech,Pacifico Mr |
|
|
20 |
Brisbane |
|
25 |
Buhagiar, Anthony Mr |
|
|
28 |
Brisbane |
|
26 |
Bezzina, Carla Mrs |
housewife |
Attard |
29 |
Brisbane |
|
27 |
Bezzina, Teresa Miss |
child |
Mosta. |
9 |
Brisbane |
|
28 |
Bezzina, Joseph Mister |
child |
Mosta |
8 |
Brisbane |
|
29 |
Bezzina, Mary Miss |
child |
Mosta. |
6 |
Brisbane |
|
30 |
Gauci, Mary Mrs |
housewife |
Mosta. |
33 |
Brisbane |
|
31 |
Gauci, Teresa Miss |
child |
Australia-born |
13 |
Brisbane |
|
32 |
Gauci, Agostina Miss |
child |
Australia-born |
12 |
Brisbane |
|
33 |
Gauci, Nancy Miss |
child |
Australia-born |
8 |
Brisbane
|
|
34 |
Mallia, John Mr. |
|
|
27 |
Brisbane |
|
35 |
Mallia, Mary Mrs. |
|
|
24 |
Brisbane |
|
36 |
Mallia, Grace Miss |
child |
|
4 |
Brisbane |
|
37 |
Mallia, Louis Mister |
baby |
|
1 |
Brisbane |
|
38 |
Mercieca, Joseph Mr |
|
|
31 |
Brisbane |
|
39 |
Muscat, Judith Miss |
child |
|
7 |
Melbourne |
|
40 |
Muscat, Francis Mister |
child |
|
7 |
Melbourne |
|
41 |
Muscat, Mary Miss |
child |
|
5 |
Melbourne |
|
42 |
Bowden, Rhoda Mrs |
|
|
74 |
Melbourne |
|
43 |
Russell, Mabel Miss |
|
|
73 |
Melbourne |
|
44 |
Oberhuber, Rhoda Mrs |
|
|
51 |
Melbourne |
|
45 |
Ebejer, Carmel Mr |
|
Cospicua |
23 |
Melbourne |
|
46 |
Ebejer, Manuel Mr |
|
Cospicua. |
23 |
Melbourne |
|
47 |
Micallef, Jane Miss |
|
|
39 |
Melbourne |
|
48 |
Muscat, Joseph Mr |
|
|
35 |
Melbourne |
|
49 |
Muscat, Frances Mrs |
|
|
27 |
Melbourne |
|
50 |
Caruana, Consiglia Mrs |
|
|
52 |
Adelaide |
|
51 |
Caruana, Angelo Mr |
|
Zejtun |
23 |
Adelaide |
|
52 |
Caruana, Carmela Miss |
|
Zejtun |
21 |
Adelaide |
|
53 |
Cutajar, Michael Mr |
|
Hal-Lija |
31 |
Adelaide |
|
54 |
Cutajar, Angelina Mrs |
|
Zejtun |
30 |
Adelaide |
|
55 |
Cutajar, SaIvu Mister |
child |
Zejtun |
2 |
Adelaide |
|
56 |
Chetcuti, Leone Mr |
|
|
39 |
Adelaide |
|
57 |
Chetcuti, Connie Mrs |
|
|
29 |
Adelaide |
|
58 |
Zammit,Giuseppa Mrs |
|
|
54 |
Adelaide |
|
59 |
Zammit,Salvina Miss |
|
|
33 |
Adelaide |
|
60 |
Zammit, Carmelo Mr |
|
|
23 |
Adelaide |
|
61 |
Attard, Mary Mrs |
|
|
32 |
Tasmania |
|
62 |
Attard, George Mr. |
child |
|
11 |
Tasmania |
|
63 |
Attard, Dolores Miss |
child |
|
9 |
Tasmania |
|
64 |
Attard, Rose Miss |
child |
|
7 |
Tasmania |
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