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Greek Australian is the seventh largest ethnic group in Australia, numbering 375,703 or 1.8% of respondents in the 2001 Census.
The census recorded 116,530 Greek-born in Australia, although this excludes persons of Greek ethnicity and culture born elsewhere, notably Cyprus (10,560) and Egypt. The website www.hellenism.net estimates the number of Greeks living in Australia at 336,782 people (based on a 1986 ethnic origin census), which would be 2.2% of Australia's 1986 population. 39.3% of these 336,782 Greek Australians were born in Greece, 49.8% were born in Australia, 4.8% were born in Cyprus, 2.5% were born in Egypt and 3.6% were born in another or unknown place.
The first Greek migrants to Australia were seven convict sailors convicted of piracy by a British naval court in 1829. Though pardoned, two of the seven settled in the country. Groups of Greeks first settled in significant numbers during the gold rushes of the 1850s. The 1901 census recorded 878 Greek-born, but this must surely omit a few hundred other ethnic Greek migrants from the Ottoman Empire and elsewhere. The expulsion of Greeks from Asia Minor in 1922-23 led to further Greek migration to Australia, primarily to New South Wales. These Greeks are difficult to trace but the number of Greeks from Greece proper had risen to 12,291 by the time of the 1947 census.
Greeks - alongside Italians were one of the main groups targeted by Australian Government migration schemes in the 1950s and 1960s. By 1971 there were 160,200 Greek-born persons in Australia, and smaller numbers from Cyprus and Egypt. 47% settled in Melbourne, with the consequence that the city is reputed to have the second largest concentration of Greeks in the world. This has earned Melbourne the honour of being the largest Greek city outside Greece itself.
Today, just under half of the Greek-born (49.6%) live in Victoria, with a further third in New South Wales (31.7%). It is likely that most Greek Australians also follow this settlement pattern. In comparison, only 24.7% of Australians as a whole live in Victoria, underlining the density of the Greek presence there.
Greek Australians have an exceptionally high rate of return migration to Greece. In December 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 135,000 Australian citizens resident in Greece. These must mostly be returned Greek emigrants with Australian citizenship, and their Greek Australian children.
According to census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2004, Greek Australians are, by religion, 5.2% Catholic, 2.9% Anglican, 83.5% Other Christian (mainly Greek Orthodox), 1.3% Other Religions, and 7.1% No Religion.
In 2001, the Greek language was spoken at home by 263,717 persons in Australia. Greek is the fourth most widely spoken language in the country after English, the Chinese languages, and Italian. 50.9% of Greek speakers in Australia were born there, the third highest proportion after indigenous Australian languages and English.
[edit] List of notable Greek Australians
[edit] Business
- Mark Bouris - managing director of Wizard
- Con Constantine - chairman, Newcastle United Jets
- Andrew Demetriou - chief executive, Australian Football League
- Nick Dimas - director, Canterbury Bulldogs
- Andrew N. Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemical Company
- Nick Pappas - chairman, South Sydney Rabbitohs
- The Paspalis-Paspaley family - dominate the pearling industry; own most of Darwin CBD and properties in Sydney
- George Peponis - chairman, Canterbury Bulldogs
- James Raptis OBE - chairman and founder, Raptis Group Limited, Gold Coast
- James Samios - Hon. MBE Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay, Sydney
- Ross Tzannes - Director of Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay, Sydney
[edit] Directors
[edit] Entertainment
[edit] Journalists
- John Mangos - journalist, Sky_News_Australia, Foxtel
- Georgia Cassimatis - journalist, Australian Cosmopolitan magazine
- George Donikian - news presenter, Ten Network
- Peter Frilingos (deceased) - sports journalist with the Daily Telegraph in Sydney, and broadcaster and commentator with the Continuous Call Team.
- Giorgios Hatzimanolis - Editor, Neos Kosmos English Edition newspaper
- Maria Anastasopoulos-Tsekouras, Journalist Neos Kosmos English Edition newspaper
- Victoria Simos, Journalist, Neos Kosmos English Edition newspaper
- Helen Kapalos - news presenter, Ten Network
- Mary Kostakidis - journalist, SBS
- Andy Pasquelidis - sports commentator
- Peter Peters - sports broadcaster and commentator (also Manly Sea-Eagles general manager)
- Anastasia Salamastrakis - journalist, Seven Network
[edit] Musicians
[edit] Politics
- Andrew Bartlett, politician (Greek grandfather)
- Nick Bolkus - federal politician
- Michael Costa - politician, NSW
- Jim Fouras - politician, QLD
- Steve Georganas - federal politician
- Petro Georgiou - federal politician (born Kerkyra)
- John Hatzistergos - Health Minister, NSW
- Steve Kons - Deputy Premier, TAS
- Nick Kotsiras - politician, VIC
- Tom Koutsantonis - politician, SA
- Ken Michael, politician
- Jenny Mikakos - politician, VIC
- Sophie Mirabella - federal politician
- John Pandazopoulos - politician, VIC
- Theo Theophanous - politician, VIC (born Cyprus)
- Arthur Sinodinos - Prime Minister's Chief of Staff
- Maria Vamvakinou - federal politician (born Lefkada)
- Kon Vatskalis - politician, NT (born Kefallonia)
- Nick Xenophon - politician, SA
[edit] Sports
- Braith Anasta - Rugby League player, Sydney Roosters
- John Anastasiadis - former football (soccer) player/coach
- Con Boutsianis - former football (soccer) player
- Ang Christou - Australian rules footballer
- Peter Daicos- Australian rules footballer
- Theodore Skafidas- former football (soccer) player
- Andrew Demetriou - Australian rules football CEO
- Michael Diamond - Olympic gold medallist, shooting, Sydney 2000
- George Gatis - Rugby League player, New Zealand Warriors
- Steve Georgallis - Rugby League player/coach
- Luka Glavas - Football (soccer) player, Perth Glory
- Greek Team of the Century - Australian Rules Football [1]
- Lydia Ierodiaconou - Winter Olympian
- Chris Kalantzis - Football (soccer) player
- Michael Korkidas - Rugby League player, Salford City Reds
- Nick Kouparitsas - Rugby League player, Canterbury Bulldogs
- Anthony Koutoufides - Australian rules footballer
- Stan Lazaridis - Football (soccer) player, Perth Glory and Socceroos
- Angelo Lekkas - Australian rules footballer
- Stan 'The Man' Longinidis - kickboxer
- Colin Mylonas - founder of the Greek Rugby League (GRL)
- Steve Pantelidis - Football (soccer) player Melbourne Victory
- Lucas Pantelis - Football (soccer) player, Adelaide United
- Andy Paschalidis - Football (soccer) analyst
- George Peponis - Former Australian Rugby League captain
- Willie Peters - rugby league player, South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Paul Pezos - Football (soccer) player, Perth Glory
- Mark Philippoussis - tennis player
- John Skandalis - rugby league player, Huddersfield Giants
- Marcus Stergiopoulos - Football (soccer) player
- Jason Stevens - Rugby League player, retired
- John Tambouras - Football (soccer) player, New Zealand Knights
- Nick Theodorokopoulos - Football (soccer) coach
- Michael Theoklitos - Football (soccer) player, Melbourne Victory
- Justin Tsoulos - Rugby League player, Parramatta Eels
- Michael Valkanis - Football (soccer) player, Adelaide United
- Andy Vlahos - football (soccer) player
- Rhett Biglands - Australian Rules Football Player Adelaide Crows
[edit] Writers
- Effy Alexakis - documentary photographer
- Peter Georgas, Runner-up in reality TV show "My Restaurant Rules"
- Nicholas Hogios (Psychogios), car designer
- Nonda Katsalidis, architect
- Andrew Kokinos, ex-physio, Indian cricket team
- Marc Newson, designer
- Christos Pantelis, psychiatrist
- Napoleon Perdis, make-up artist
- Tony Rafty, caricaturist
- Stelarc, artist
- Archbishop Stylianos, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia
- Freda Miriklis, Stockbroker, Professional Speaker, Winner Australian Young Business and Professional Women, 1998 - 2000
[edit] Miscellaneous topics
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