Maltese Historical Association of Australia

Join the Consul General and members of the Maltese Ex Services Association of Victoria on Anzac Day to commemorate all who served and perished during the various wars and conflicts. Biex qatt ma ninsew. Lest we forget.

https://seanrichardson.com.au/2026/02/13/the-empires-secret-weapon-printing-in-malta/

Malta's 19th Century Printing Presses and Geo-politics Information War Explore Malta's pivotal role in the 19th-century information war, where printing presses became tools for education and influence in the Mediterranean.

Among his many contributions, Mark Caruana was a pioneer in the field of migrant oral history in Australia. We became friends for 40 years due to our shared commitment to ethno-historical studies, especially pertaining to the history of the Maltese in Australia.
RIP Mark...

Today, 18 December, is the UN's International Migrants' Day. Here is one of many articles I've written over the years on the subject of Maltese migration to Australia. (From the National Library News magazine, 1998).

Here at the Maltese Historical Association, we are deeply saddened to hear of Mark’s passing. Mark was always incredibly generous with his time, regularly sharing his knowledge with us through his lectures and community work. His research, including his oral history interviews, has been invaluable in preserving and understanding Maltese migration stories.

We extend our deepest condolences to Antoinette and the Caruana family during this very sad time.
This is a significant loss to the Maltese-Australian community.

May he rest in peace.

Times Talk: The first Maltese people in history, unearthed

I highly recommend the Maltese Museum at Morwell, in the La Trobe Valley, East Gippsland, about two hours from Melbourne. I've worked in, and for, a few museums, and visited many more, and this one is truly excellent.

Many Maltese - and other nationalities - were recruited to work in the local coal industry for the State Electricity Commission after the War. Hence, the Maltese presence there.

Below is the blurb by the La Trobe City website about the museum:

"Australia's first and only Maltese Museum was launched by Mario Sammut, a migrant who came to the Latrobe Valley in 1985. The dream was to preserve the Maltese culture and identity while assimilating within the Australian community.

"Visitors can experience a huge array of Maltese artefacts and memorabilia, including miniature replicas of Maltese buildings. Notable contributors include Charlie Camilleri and the family of the late Mr Frank Consiglio, the first Consul General for Malta in Victoria. Many others have also made significant donations and it’s all on display right here.

"Entry: Gold coin donation is appreciated".

Joan and I appreciate the warm hospitality shown to us by Mario Sammut and his wife Viv. I had the pleasure of donating a few items to the museum, including a framed portrait of my father, Loreto, who was the first Maltese mayor of an Australian city when he was elected Mayor of Brunswick in 1972.

Check out the museum's website for information on opening hours.

Here are some photos I took. They capture only part of the museum.

Did you know that a Maltese was governor of three Australian states in the early C20th?
Gerald Strickland was Malta's Prime Minister between 1927 and 1932 and also sat in the UK Parliament in the House of Commons (1924-1928) and became a peer (House of Lords).

Strickland was a progressive in the sense that he was pro-British and anti-Fascist at a time in Malta's history when the 'anti-imperialists' were pointing to Malta's supposed commonalities with Italy under Mussolini.

My dad remembered priests praising the Italian Fascists from the pulpits. His father, my grandfather, Salvu, was a supporter of Strickland's party and the priests refused to bless his house.
In 1930, the Church hierarchy in Malta made it a mortal sin to vote for Strickland's pro-British party or to read the newspapers published by his printing press.

Born at Valletta in 1861 , he died at Attard, Malta, in 1940, aged 79.

He served as Governor of three Australian states: Tasmania, West Australia and New South Wales.

I wrote this article about Gerald Strickland several years ago, after finding some beautiful illustrated manuscripts in his honour in the National Library of Australia's Manuscripts Collection.

The Irony In Christian Europe's Victory At Lepanto In 1571 A lesser-known event that Malta contributed to was the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, a conflict that saw Christian Europe rally once more against the Ottoman Empire following the siege of Malta in 1565. The immediate cause of the battle was the Ottoman seizure of Cyprus which was then Venetian territor...

Religion and national identity