As reported by Neos Kosmos in 2014, the late Judith Durham AO, the singer of The Seekers who put Australia on the global pop map, had Greek heritage. Judith Durham OAM, died aged 79 after a long battle with illness.

Australian historian Leonard Janiszewski and his partner, photographer, Effie Alexakis do extensive research on Greek Australians dating back over 100 years. The authors revealed that Judith Durham’s maternal great grandfather was Cretan, Antoni Dimitri Pannicca as published in L. Janiszewski by E. Alexakis book and accompanying photographs, In her own image: Greek-Australian women – beyond the stereotypes.

Judith Durham AO cowrote a Greek song O Metanastis, or The Migrant that was included in the album Hold On To Your Dream. The Immigrant was also used to commemorate the Centenary of Australia’s Federation in 2000.

The Seekers, from left, Keith Potger, Athol Guy, Bruce Woodley and Judith Durham pose for photo in London, 1965. Judith Durham, Australia’s folk music icon who achieved global fame as the lead singer of The Seekers, has died. She was 79. Photo/AAP

Durham became lead singer of The Seekers in the early 1960s, and their 1964 song I’ll Never Find Another You reached number one in Australia and the UK. Their 1965 hit the The Carnival is Over at its peak sold more than 90,000 copies a day. The band’s members were named Australians of the Year in 1967. The Seekers’ 1967 performance at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl – estimated at 200,000 people – was in the Guinness Book of Records the following year as the biggest concert attendance ever in the southern hemisphere.

The family of Judith Durham have accepted an offer from the Victorian government for a state funeral to honour her life. The Seekers’ singer died in palliative care on Friday night aged 79 after complications arising from a long-standing lung disease.