Slovenian Community in Australia

The Slovenian population of Australia has been estimated to total about 25,000. It is widely dispersed in all the states of Australia, with largest groups residing in Melbourne and Sydney. This excludes the second generation of Australians whose parents are of Slovenian origin. There are now twenty-five Slovenian organisations in Australia.

The major wave of migration to Australia occurred around 1950. The Slovenian community soon established social organisations. These were a place for social, community and cultural activities. In Melbourne, the first Slovenian club, Melbourne, was formed in 1954. In the following years other associations were established in various parts of Melbourne and Geelong, providing social, recreational and school facilities: Jadran, Ivan Cankar, Planica, Sneznik, Veseli Lovci. In time they formed The Council of Slovenian Organisations of Victoria, which is a coordinating body. The Slovenian National Council of Victoria was formed to represent the Slovenian community and promote Slovenian cultural activities and programmes.

The associations hold a host of cultural, sporting and social functions throughout the year and contribute to the awareness of Slovenian cultural heritage. The associations organize cultural events with: art and craft displays, performances in music, drama, dancing, by the local and wider community, and guest performers from Slovenia and other countries.

The Slovenian Franciscan order has established churches in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide and has played a vital role in the religious and cultural life of the Slovenian community. The Slovenian Religious and Cultural Centre in Kew, SS. Cyril and Methodius Mission, was founded in 1960 as the first of Slovenian Religious and Cultural Centres in Australia. The centre is a complex of: the Church of SS. Cyriland Methodius, Baraga House, Baraga Library, the Mother Romana Hostel for the Aged, and Slomsek Primary School. Cultural events and concerts for the community are held in the church hall.  

The community voice is heard in the media and printed press. In Melbourne the Slovenian programme is broadcast on SBS radio and 3ZZZ weekly. Since 1975, Slovenian has been broadcast on the radio, and is heard in all capital cities of Australia. On Channel 31 television, “Slovenian Magazine” is presented every fortnight; sponsored by the Slovenian National Council of Victoria, and donations. In Melbourne the Slovenian Franciscan Fathers issue the monthly journal “Misli -Thoughts” established in 1952. It is a religious and cultural magazine in Slovenian, with articles and detailed information about community activities and events. It is distributed throughout Australia and overseas.

Throughout Australia there have been over a time twelve Slovenian newspapers in circulation and over one hundred Slovenian books and periodicals published in Australia.

Slovenian Language in Australia

Slovenian language has been taught in Australia for the last 30 years everywhere where Slovenian immigrants gathered for social, cultural or religious purposes at Slovenian centres and organizations. Children were taught basic Slovenian in combination with cultural activities and participation in annual festivities such as St. Nicholas Day, Christmas, Easter, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day, in which children took a major role in the performance of: plays, songs and folk-dances. These cultural events established a strong tradition, which still continues today.

In 1976 the first steps were taken to establish Slovenian as an elective subject in the Australian state school system. In 1977 six classes of Slovenian were offered at the secondary - level junior and senior - at three centres of the government school, Victorian School of Languages. This was the first time that Slovenian was an accredited systemic school subject anywhere outside the Slovenian-speaking territories of central Europe. Higher School Certificate (VCE in Victoria) was also established by 1980 and continues to be offered.

The school still offers Slovenian at the Princes Hill Secondary College Centre, in Melbourne.

For information contact:
The Institute for Slovenian Language of Victoria,
tel: 03 9544 0595

In 1979 The Saturday School of Community Languages in Sydney, New South Wales also opened classes at secondary levels and established Higher School Certificate accreditation for Slovenian language in NSW. 

Slovenian is now taught at the Bankstown Girls’ High School.

For information contact:
The Saturday School of Community Languages,
tel: 02 9644 5638

Macquarie University in Sydney offered a Slovenian tertiary 3 year course from 1989 to 1996. It was also offered as a long distance education course.

Links between Australia and Slovenia

There is considerable exchange between Slovenia and Australia, although Slovenia has not been quite discovered by the tourist population. As a small immigrant group they have established themselves well in Australia. Active in ethnic councils, radio and cultural events, they have made their presence felt.  Slovenian artists, such as the expressionist painter Stanislav Rapotec and sculptor Ron Gomboc have made their mark in Australian society. There have been at least two federal parliamentarians and several recipients of the Order of Australia honours.

Over the years there have been many links between Australia and Slovenia. Slovenian imports number Sloveniales, Elan, Gorenje, Delamaris, and Kolinska. Slovenian scientists have been invited to lecture at Australian universities and Australian artists, poets, singers and bands have performed at festivals in all the major Australian cities.

There have been a number of art exhibitions, notably the Contemporary Slovenian Graphic Design in Sydney and Shakespeare in theatres of central Europe between the two wars 1918-1938 at Multicultural Festival in Canberra.

The work of artist Matej Andraz Vogrincic was one of the high points of the Adelaide Festival; similarly the much translated Slovenian poet Tomaz Salamun at a previous festival. The conceptual artist Marko Peljhan has performed in a multinational production in 2000. Successful Slovenian electronic music producing team Recycled Loops featuring Dj Umek and Dj Valentino Kanzyani has toured major Australian cities for 2 times, drawing large audiences and winning public acclaim.

In 2001 the Australian retailing giant Harvey Norman established a major base in Slovenia to serve as foundation for his plans to expand into central and eastern Europe.