Faces beyond the Greek café: the traditional diversity of Greek-Australian occupational pursuits, 1820s–2010
Abstract
From the late nineteenth century until the closing decades of the twentieth century, Greeks
played a large part in Australia’s food catering industry. They continued, nevertheless,
to enter a wide variety of occupations. These included: agricultural and pastoral activities,
mining, sea-related industries, itinerant work, secondary industries, public life,
professional fields, and artistic and sporting avenues. Moreover, their contribution in
some activities proved significant. This paper firmly challenges the entrenched, popular
stereotype of Greek-Australians as being historically defined as essentially a collection
of fish’n’chip shop owners and café and milk bar proprietors. Rather, their complex and
broad involvement in Australia’s mainstream development over the last two hundred
years is clearly revealed, acknowledged and celebrated.