The peak decades of Greek migration to Australia in the 1950s and 1960s saw tens of thousands of arrivals, with almost half settling in Victoria. Alongside this demographic shift, the Greek-language press became a vital part of daily life, with Neos Kosmos playing a central role in connecting the community.
Among the paper’s most read sections was the obituaries page. For many families, death notices not only announced the passing of loved ones but also preserved key biographical details — from year of birth down to the village of origin.
Dr Nick Dallas has turned to this resource to gain unique insights into the community’s history. By analysing more than 15,000 obituaries published in Neos Kosmos, he has examined the demographic origins of post-war Greek migrants in Victoria. His findings explore questions such as whether Peloponnesians or Macedonians formed the largest cohort, and how prefectures like Messinia compared with Florina in terms of migrant numbers.
Dr Dallas will present his research at a public seminar hosted by the Greek Community of Melbourne and sponsored by the Ithacan Philanthropic Society and the Hellenic Women’s Network ‘Heliades’.
About the speaker
Dr Dallas arrived in Melbourne in 1971 aboard the legendary migrant ship Patris. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, he holds undergraduate degrees in Science, Arts and Commerce, as well as a PhD in Organic Chemistry. He works in educational publishing and has served since 2012 as a director on the Board of Management of the Greek Community of Melbourne, Chair of its Education Committee and Convenor of its seminars program.
Since December 2024, he has also been a PhD candidate at the University of Macedonia’s Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies in Thessaloniki, researching Greek political exiles who arrived in Tashkent in 1949 following the Greek Civil War.
When: Thursday 28 August 2025, 7pm
Where: The Greek Centre, Mezzanine Level, 168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
