Berry family on board the AUSTRALIS
Date1971
Object numberANMS1453[136]
NamePhotograph
Mediumphotographic print on paper
DimensionsOverall: 216 × 167 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection
DescriptionBlackj and white image of George and Patricia Berry with their 11 children posing on the stairs of the AUSTRALIS on its arrival in Fremantle from the USA.
A newspaper clipping attached to the back of the photograph reads ‘Mass migration. All 13 members of the Berry family arrived at Fremantle yesterday on board the Australis. The family has migrated from Fort Worth, Texas, to the Perth suburb of St James. Pictured on the AUSTRALIS gang plank are Mr George Berry and his wife Patricia with the children –Geoffrey (19), Kren (18), Wendy (16), Jorjan (14), Bunny (12), A.J. (10), Kym (8), Sheree (7), Sam (5), Piper (3) and Jason 8 moths. Since setting out from Fort Worth 34 days ago the family has covered 12,000 miles. Mr Berry is a pastor in the Bible Baptist Church and he will soon begin building a new church in Riverton.’
HistorySince the first Fleet dropped anchor in 1788, more than 10 million people have moved from across the world to start a new life in Australia, arriving in waves, encouraged by the 1850s gold rushes or to escape adverse conditions at home in the social upheavals of C19th Britain's industrial revolution, the turmoil of revolution, two world wars, the aftermath of the Vietnam war in the 1970s and more recent conflicts.
With the catchphrase 'populate or perish' ringing through the community, Australia stepped up its immigration in the years after WWII, offering assisted passage to British migrants, encouraging migration from European countries, and finally in the 1970s repealing the restrictive white Australia policy framed after federation in 1901. More than seven million new settlers have now crossed Australia's shores since 1945 and it's estimated that one in four of Australia's population was born overseas.SignificanceThis image is one of a series produced by Fairfax newspapers that provides a unique window into how immigrants were viewed and immigration policy articulated in the popular press. The images in this selection are significant in representing the personal face to Australia's massive post-war immigration push that saw aggressive immigration programs orchestrated by the Australian Government that was promoting a 'populate or perish' philosophy.
Gabriel De Foigny
1692
