“As the locals say, there isn’t a single home in Ithaca without a connection to Australia.”
The reflection, shared by the Australian Embassy in Athens in a thank you note following the Ambassador’s visit to Ithaca, summarises 170 years of community ties between Australia and the Ionian island. Ithacans were among the first Greeks to migrate to Australia, dating back to the 1850s.
These ties were at the centre of Alison Duncan’s official two-day visit last week.
Australia’s Ambassador to Greece was welcomed by the Eparch of Ithaca Smaragda Sardeli, and Mayor Dionisis Stanitsas in formal meetings.
Joined by vice president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society, Penny Maroulis, and vice president of the Ithacan Historical Society (IHS), Kyriaco Nikias, Ambassador Duncan paid an official visit to the city hall where she was bestowed the title of honorary citizen.
“This visit represents not just diplomatic courtesy, but a genuine recognition of the cultural bonds that have sustained our people for generations,” Maroulis said.
Talks with local government officials focused on initiatives to strengthen ties between Ithaca and Australia through culture, education and tourism, while the Ambassador was invited to attend a conference on Greece’s demographic decline set to be hosted in Ithaca in May 2026.
Organised by the IHS, the cultural programme of the itinerary included a visit to the Historical Archive in Vathy, home to a rich collection of historical documents spanning four centuries.
Time also allowed for a tour at the island’s northernmost village, Exogi, the birthplace of Anthony JJ Lucas, one of the founders of Melbourne’s Greek Orthodox community in 1897.
“Ambassador Duncan’s historic visit — the very first by any ambassador to our beloved Ithaca — represents a profoundly significant milestone for Ithacan Australians[…] honouring the deep cultural roots that continue to define our identity across vast oceans and several generations,” IHS president, Peter Raftopoulos said.
Both nights concluded with community garden parties, one at the Ithaca Regional Unit, Eparcheio, in the capital Vathy, and another one at a restaurant in Stavros village.
Hosted by the Eparch and the Ithacan Historical Society, the events featured live dances by the local ‘Charilaos Tsigonias’ group, a singing performance by mezzo soprano Katerini Manolatos and an informal opportunity for locals and diasporans to meet and discuss with the Australian Ambassador.
“There was great local interest, because there is not a family on Ithaca without some connection to Australia,” IHS vice president Kyriaco Nikias said.
“The Ambassador’s visit honoured our shared history which spans almost two centuries.”
