Migrant voyage

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Arrived in australia in jan/feb. 1960 bonnegilla migration centre, got work picking sultana grapes in mildura, then as labourer in waiatina,tasmania etc. Just wondering if it our arrival coincided with Australia day?

Arrived in Australia Feb 1961 we came to Sydney Went to Cabramatta Hostel. My Name was Janet Jones i was 13 also was my sister Linda Jones brother Martin Smith mum and dad Samuel & Lillan.

I boarded the Castle Felice September 1960 as an immigrant to melbourne. Arrived October 5th. in Melbourne. Is there a passenger List available?

My family travelled from Belgium to Australia on the Castel Felice. I was 9 months old, my sister 2 years old. My parents told me that it was not a pleasant trip on the boat. They couldn't travel on the cheap fares so borrowed money through the church to travel. They paid full fare for the family were promised a cabin for the family but instead we were separated and my father was housed with the men and my mum with other women. My mother said we didn't get much food and we (my sister and I) were very often hungry, she said some of the other passengers took pity on us and would give us food some of their food. Stealing was rife on the ship, my mother said after washing our clothes and hanging them out people stole them. I have photos of us on board the ship. Overall my parents did not enjoy the trip particularly given the circumstances of not being offered the cabin type they bought, my parents complained to the officers but were ignored. My dad said people who paid less or were of english background got treated better on the ship.

I left Germany on the "Castel Felice" on June 11th 1960. For me, I came from East Germany, it was a fantastic trip. Almost 6 weeks with 6 Men in a cabin. I never saw the world before. I paid 200 Marks for almost 6 weeks holiday it was gracious. We landed in Melbourne and were moved by train to Bonegilla. With a friend and after two days and on our own risc we landed in Melbourne. We had work, lived with a German and found it fantastic. My maingoal was to learn the English Language. A lot of travel followed afterwards. I am back in Germany, but my past was great!

My father traveled on the Castel Felice from Cuxhaven Germany and passed through Fremantle Western Australia before going onward to Melbourne. The ship arrived in Fremantle 8 Feb 1959, my dad was aged 17 at the time. It seems he travelled alone. I found the pasenger list https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/archive/81722225/?p=1&doc_id=81722225

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