At the end of World War II in 1945 Australia opened its doors, seeking millions of migrants from Europe and Britain. Over the next twenty-five years, the Australian government vigorously promoted Australia overseas as a destination for those wanting to start a new life. Through photographs, films and publications, the government sold a particular view of Australian life to attract migrants to Australia. Today these promotional images reveal the values and aspirations of postwar Australia, and reflect the dreams of those who settled here.
Australia was promoted across Britain and Europe in many forms and many languages. Colourful posters adorned railway stations and billboards. Shopfront displays beckoned passers-by to ‘Come to sunny Australia!’ Local newspapers and magazines ran articles about life ‘down under’ alongside advertisements for assisted passage. Information pamphlets for intending migrants described every aspect of Australian life, from the climate to the taxation system.
Through much of this promotional material a distinctive view of Australia and its people was presented, one shaped specifically to attract migrants. How accurately did it represent Australian life? And how much did it reflect the reality migrants experienced after their arrival? How has our idea of Australian national identity changed since then? These are the questions raised in Selling a Dream, which features photographs from the government's Australian News and Information Bureau, and advertising and information material from the Department of Immigration distributed overseas from the late 1940s to the early 1970s.
The National Archives collection is rich with records about those who settled in Australia this century. Migrant selection and arrivals, naturalisation, accomodation, employment and government immigration policy are just some of the subjects you can explore. Contact the Archives in your capital city for more information about our collection.