Australia’s Turkish community is celebrating 50 years since the first group of Turkish migrants landed in Australia.

The arrival of the group of migrants from mainland Turkey in in Sydney in 1968 followed an agreement signed between the two countries the previous year.

The agreement came at a time when Australia was questioning its commitment to the White Australia Policy.

The signing of the agreement saw recruitment campaigns launched in Turkey encouraging people to migrate with promises of work, open spaces, affordable housing and endless sun and surf.

Around 19,000 assisted Turkish migrants arrived in Australia between 1968 and 1974 through the agreement.

It represented a significant step in the gradual dismantling of the White Australia Policy after a migration review in 1966 and which officially came to an end in 1973.

Andrew Jakubowicz, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Technology Sydney, said at the time Australia was on the lookout for more workers.

“After the recession of the early 1960s, many of the Italians and Greeks and other Southern Europeans started to go back to Europe because the European economy was starting to pick up. So Australia was looking for new workers, particularly industrial workers,” Prof Jakubowicz said.

Australia’s Turkish community celebrated the anniversary with a major food and culture festival in Sydney.

Taste of Turkey – Food and Culture Festival celebrated the Turkish cultural contribution to the multicultural fabric of Australia.

The festival marked the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of migrant workers from Turkey to Sydney on 14 October 1968.

Turkish Cypriots first began to immigrate to Australia during the 1940s, and then again between 1963 and 1974 when Turkish Cypriots were forced to leave their homes during the Cyprus Conflict.

At the time, they were the only Muslims accepted under the White Australia Policy.

The first Turkish immigrants were greeted at Sydney International Airport by Turkish Cypriots whilst Turkish immigrants who moved to Melbourne were greeted at Essendon Airport by members of the Cyprus Turkish Association.

Laurie Nowell

Senior Journalist