Hopes and Fears: Australian Migration Stories

Many Australians have a migration story. Somewhere in our past, an ancestor set out on a challenging voyage that led them to Australia. They might have been a convict, a sailor, a soldier, or perhaps a young woman from a workhouse, or a child migrant from an orphanage.

Through photographs, documents and artefacts, uncover the challenges and triumphs of those who left their homelands driven by dreams of a better future, and the unbroken connection of First Australians to their lands and waters providing vital context for understanding the migration experiences.

Hopes and Fears celebrates the people, personal journeys and stories of resilience, hope and transformation that have shaped our nation's history.

Exhibition highlights

Eighteenth century style map showing notable features and buildings around a cove, and artistic text underneath reading 'Sketch & Description of the Settlement at Sydney Cove Port Jackson in the County of Cumberland

Francis Fowkes, R. Cribb and Samuel John Neele, Sketch & description of the settlement at Sydney Cove Port Jackson in the County of Cumberland taken by a transported convict on the 16th of April, 1788, which was not quite 3 months after Commodore Phillips's landing there, 1789, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-230578175

Black and yellow uniform made up of a long-sleeve button up jacket on a mannequin

Convict uniform and two caps [realia], 1830, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2398685

Poster with pictures of a man, woman and two children on luggage with a tag reading '10 pounds takes you to Australia' and 'Children under 19 go FREE!'

Australia House (London, England), issuing body, £10 takes you to Australia : children under 19 go free!, 1960, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1107337919

Artistic poster with an Australian Aboriginal flag, stylised photos of First Australians, and serveral short paragraphs of text. The largest text in the top left corner reads 'Tall Ships Tall Stories'

Amanda Holt, June Gemes and Elaine Pelot-Kitchener, Tall ships, tall stories : resistance : every day since 1788, and still in active resistance in 1988!!!, 1987, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8418095

Man and woman of Middle Eastern heritage sitting on the floor, holding and looking at a rug with a map of Afghanistan and it's landmarks

June Orford, Fatah and Makai Mohmand with a carpet, one of the few personal possessions brought with them from their homeland, Kabul, Afghanistan, 2005, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137061592

Poster with man in casual dress with his arms spread in welcome in front of a rising sun and text reading 'To Austraila for 37 pounds'

R.T. Roussel and Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, To Australia for £37, 1921, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136513463

Small red christening gown with black buttons down the centre

Christening gown worn by members of the Kwong family from the Papers of the Kwong family, 1891-2001, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn3006822

Colourful program with watercolours of people in colurful outfits and a list of performers and their performances

Welcome to Bonegilla, [programme presented to the Honourable Arthur Calwell, Minister for Immigration, July 1st 1949], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137191016

Blue and yellow poster with a stylised photo of a group of young women, and text reading 'We are proud to be wogs!'

A Girls in Print Project designed & printed by Ethnic Girls School-leavers, We are proud to be Wogs!, 1983, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn5016725

Red Lebanese Tarboosh/Tarboush hat with a black tassel

Lebanese Tarboosh/Tarboush, c1890 worn by Anthony George Wehby when migrating to Australia from the Records of the Australian Lebanese Historical Society, 1890-2015, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6929220