Croatian Australians are Australian citizens of Croatian ancestry. Croatia has been a source of migrants to Australia, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s.

History

Prior to World War II

Croats were first encouraged to migrate to Australia during the gold rushes of the 1850s taking place in the British colonies of Victoria and New South Wales. Although migration was relatively small, Croatian travellers and sailors employed on merchant vessels played a significant role in spreading the news of the opportunities possible in Australia. In an interesting occurrence in October 1875, sixteen Croatian sailors aboard the vessel Stefano, became shipwrecked on the Ningaloo Reef along the West Australian coast. Ten survived to reach the shore where the local Yinikutira people gave them food and water, and found their map of the coast among the shipwreck's debris. By January 1876, all but two had died from hunger or exposure. The two survivors, Baccich (aged 16) and Jurich (aged 19), became part of a Yinikutira clan and spent the following three months living with them around the North West Cape. They were rescued by a pearler looking for Aboriginal labour in April 1876 and, after a few months in Fremantle, they returned to Europe. The Western Australian gold rushes in the 1890s started a significant migration of Croats (mainly from Dalmatia) to Australia and by the early part of the 20th century, there were around 2000 to 3000 people of Croatian origin in Australia, 80% of these residing in Western Australia. Around 100 Australian Croats fought for the Allies during World War I. However, during this war around 600 non-naturalised Croats were interned at the Holsworthy Internment Camp where 20 died and about 500 were later deported from Australia in 1919. During World War II, the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler established the fascist puppet-state of the Independent State of Croatia. Croatian Australian representatives during this time deplored this development as a tragedy for the Croatian people and condemned the quisling Ante Pavelić as a traitor. Tom Starcevich, a Croatian Australian born in Subiaco, Western Australia was a recipient of the Victoria Cross medal for bravery during World War II.

Post World War II

Croatian migration to Australia took on a different aspect after World War II. From 1945 to 1952, Australia's post-war immigration scheme saw around 170,000 Eastern European displaced persons, including Croatians, given residency. Some of these Croatian migrants were associated with the defeated Ustaše regime. In the context of the White Australia policy, Cold War anti-communism, and the shortage of workers at the time, the Ustaše in Australia were allowed to dominate and influence the Croatian migrant community through the establishment cultural and sporting clubs around Australia that promoted Ustaše ideals. This influence continues into 21st century Croatian-Australian society. During the 1960s and early 1970s, the Ustaše splinter groups in Australia led by people like Srećko Rover ran a campaign of bombings, intimidation and insurgency operations against pro-Yugoslav interests. Eventually, after a large bombing in Sydney injured many people, a crackdown on the Ustaše movement in the Croatian-Australia community occurred from late 1972. This was spearheaded by the Attorney-General, Lionel Murphy, who raided ASIO Headquarters and made public the files on the Croatian terrorist activities. In November 1977, an unofficial Croatian embassy was opened in Canberra, causing a legal and diplomatic difficulty for both the Australian and Yugoslav governments. The embassy, aimed at raising awareness of Croatia as a nation and the Croatian people separate from Yugoslavia, remained open for 2 years closing in 1979. Its ambassador was Mario Despoja, the father of former Democrats leader Natasha Stott Despoja. Since the independence of Croatia in the 1990s, an official embassy has been opened in Canberra and consulates have been opened in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. The Yugoslavia-born population reached 129,616 by the 1971 Census and 160,479 by the 1991 Census. The greatest number settled in Sydney and Melbourne, though Croats are well represented in every Australian city and region. Croatian migration to Australia has been very low since the 1980s.

Demographics

The 2021 Census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that 43,302 persons resident in Australia identified themselves as having been born in Croatia, representing about 0.15% of the Australian population. The Census also noted 164,362 persons identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry, either alone or in combination with another ancestry, representing a further 0.65% of the Australian population. Most of this demographic were shown to reside in Victoria and New South Wales. As the level of immigration from Croatia has dropped significantly from the 1980s, the Croatian-born population is ageing: 57% of the Croatian-born population was aged 65 years or older at the time of the 2021 Census. The 2021 data also revealed that 15% of Croatian born Australians spoke only Croatian at home, while 24% spoke only English at home, and 72% of Croatian born Australians recorded their religion as Catholic. Croatian Australians historically have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Croatia. In December 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 1,000 Australian citizens resident in Croatia, mainly in Zagreb.

Croatian Australians and sport

Sport is an important part of Croatian Australian culture, whilst they are visible in numerous different sports, they are most notably visible in soccer, with numerous clubs established by local Croatian communities throughout the country, the most notable and successful being Sydney Croatia and Melbourne Croatia. These clubs nurtured the soccer talents of a large number of Croatian Australians, many of whom now play professionally overseas. Croatian Australians have played for both Croatia and Australia. In the 2006 World Cup, there were seven Croatian Australians playing for Australia and three playing for Croatia. A total of 47 Croatian Australians have gone on to play for the Australian national soccer team, including 7 who captained the national team. The Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament is the oldest running soccer competition in Australia.

Croatian Australian Socceroos

• Zlatko Arambasic • Mark Babic • Zeljko Babic • Yakka Banovic • Paul Bilokapic • Mark Bosnich • Mark Bresciano • Branko Buljevic • Ante Covic • Jason Culina (C) • Ivan Franjic • Eugene Galekovic • Steve Horvat (C) • Mile Jedinak (C) • Ante Juric • Frank Juric • Tomi Juric • Matthew Jurman • Zeljko Kalac (C) • Fran Karačić • Steve Kokoska • Eddie Krncevic (C) • Tony Krlsovic • Andrew Marth • Frank Micic • Ljubo Milicevic • Ante Milicic • Branko Milosevic • Ante Moric • Jason Petkovic • Michael Petkovic • Tom Pondeljak • Tony Popovic • Ivo Prskalo • Wally Savor • Josip Skoko (C) • Matthew Spiranovic • Mark Talajic • Dario Vidosic • Mark Viduka (C) • Billy Vojtek • Robert Zabica • Ruben Zadkovich • David Zdrilic • Ned Zelic

Croatian Australian Matildas

Croatian Australians in Croatian national team

Notable Croatian Australians to represent Australia in other Sports

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List of notable Croatian Australians

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