I am currently completing a PhD at the University of Southern Queensland in the field of history and migration studies. As part of my PhD, I am conducting a research project that assesses the long-term settlement experiences of Polish, Latvian and Ukrainian Displaced Persons and their families in South East Queensland. The project investigates the migration of families to South East Queensland following the Second World War. It will capture the history and memories of those involved in post-war migration to Australia and who lived in South East Queensland, and will contribute to an increased understanding of the migration and settlement process.

I became interested in this topic after I found that a number of Latvian families settled in Queensland following the Second World War, however, the relevance of their histories and memories to our society has not received a lot of attention. Families who settled in Australia following the War have made significant contributions to post-war Australian society, and I feel this remains relevant for Australia into the present day.

If you migrated to Australia as a child between 1945 and 1975,  would you be interested in being a part of this project? You would be asked to complete a survey about your early settlement experiences. You can also express your interest to be involved in an interview about your family’s settlement experiences. This discussion would surround your memories of your family’s migration and settlement experiences.

If you are interested in participating, completing a survey, or would like to know more information, the researcher can be contacted via email – jessica.stroja@usq.edu.au

Photo courtesy of NAA: 12111, 1/1958/12/17

Jessica Stroja is an historian with an interest in studies of migration and conflict. She regularly speaks at conferences and has articles discussing Australia’s wartime experiences currently in publication.