Immigration scenes in Brisbane.
An illustrated novel about true stories of Italians
arriving in Queensland in the 1950s
Acknowlegement
This project was initiated by the Committee of Italians Abroad (Com.It.Es.) for the Consular District of Queensland and the Northern Territory, under the patronage of the Directorate General for Italians Abroad and Migration Policies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and with the support of the Embassy of Italy in Canberra and the Consulate of Italy in Brisbane.
This project was born from the need to tell a little-explored yet fundamental chapter of Italian migration to Australia; in particular, the story of those who settled in Brisbane and Queensland during the post-war years, with a specific focus on the 1950s, a decade marked by a significant influx of arrivals from Italy.
The goal of the Com.It.Es. Queensland and Northern Territory was clear, though far from simple: to represent in an illustrated and accessible form a piece of real history - the story of Italian migration to Brisbane - one capable of reaching far and wide, touching those who lived it, those who still carry its traces, and those discovering it for the first time.
Project Introduction: “A Perspective on the Lives of Italian Migrants in Brisbane and Surrounding Areas during the 1950s”
Through the format of graphic novels, this story draws inspiration from authentic testimonies, archival images, historical documents etc.
Many of the people who inspired this story are still alive today; for this reason, we chose to craft an original narrative, that while fictional, preserves real references, historical facts, and shared emotions.
The Com.It.Es. Queensland and Northern Territory has strongly supported the creation of this book,
recognising its high cultural and educational significance, as well as its ability to strengthen the sense of identity, belonging, and collective memory among Italians abroad.
Capturing all this within a graphic novel format has been a delicate task, which began with months of research.
The goal was not merely to document, but to find a narrative form capable of restoring dignity, depth, and humanity to the lives of those who left everything behind to start anew in South-East Queensland.
How we managed to do so, well, that, dear reader, is for you to discover.
The creation of this artwork required months of historical and social research, but also meticulous work on drawing, composition and visual characterisation.
The illustrator Alessia Castiglioni, worked entirely digitally using 'Procreate' software, but drawing each panel "by hand" on a tablet, paying great care for details, proportions, and narrative coherence.
Who are the ItAliens?!
You need to read the graphic novel and arrive at least at page 21 to discover it!
Brisbane, 2025. Voices from the past, unexpected encounters, and a hidden legacy.
Laura, a young Italian artist in search of inspiration, arrives in Australia on a temporary visa
with no fixed plans. A guesthouse steeped in memories and an encounter with the charismatic Signora Gina will open the door to a past she never knew existed: that of the Italian migrants who arrived in Brisbane in the 1950s. Through objects, music, unsent letters, and faded photographs, Laura uncovers stories of hope and sacrifice, of nostalgia and belonging, of dreams, and of recipes kept alive even thousands of kilometres from home.
The voices of the past speak again through traditions, memories, and silences. Inspired by true events, this illustrated work combines history with fiction; it doesn’t tell a biography, it pays tribute to many lives, because migrants carry with them more than they can ever show, and some stories, if left untold, are not just forgotten…
but misunderstood.