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How did European immigration after 1945 change Melbourne’s growth?
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Melbourne
Aerial view of Melbourne's central business district, with Princes Bridge and Flinders Street train station in the foreground.
Following World War II, European immigration became a primary driver of Melbourne’s growth and social transformation. In the 1950s, the Australian government implemented a deliberate policy to encourage migration from Europe to supply labor for the nation's developing industries, providing assistance with travel, employment, and language acquisition.1
This influx significantly altered the city in several ways:
- Demographic Shift: Initially, migrants arrived from the Baltic states and eastern Europe, followed by large numbers from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and countries such as Italy, Greece, and Yugoslavia. By the mid-1970s, one-fifth of the city’s population spoke a language other than English.1
- Urban Development: Migrants from southern Europe initially concentrated in older industrial suburbs near the central business district to access affordable housing and jobs. As they prospered, many moved to the outer suburbs, contributing to the city's outward expansion.2
- Cultural Impact: These programs established the foundation for Melbourne’s modern multicultural identity.1
This post-1945 wave was instrumental in fueling the population growth that saw the metropolitan area reach over two million people by 1966.2