Eritrean history in Australia

The Eritrean-Australian community includes people born in Eritrea, Australian-born children and grandchildren, and people whose journeys to Australia included years living elsewhere. There is no single migration story or one way of being Eritrean-Australian.

The ancestry figure is broader than country of birth. It can include people born in Australia or another country who identify with Eritrean heritage. Census respondents can report up to two ancestries.

Arrivals and settlement

The community developed mainly from the 1980s onwards. Early arrivals included students, migrants and refugees. The population grew more significantly during the 1990s and 2000s, as people arrived after Eritrea's long independence struggle, regional conflict, displacement and time spent in refugee camps. Family reunion and humanitarian settlement programs brought others to join relatives already here.

Eritrea's armed struggle for independence ended in 1991. Following a United Nations-supervised referendum, Eritrea became an independent country in 1993. The Eritrean–Ethiopian border war of 1998–2000, along with continuing political and economic pressures, contributed to later migration.

Where Eritrean Australians live

Victoria is home to Australia's largest Eritrean community. Many families live in Melbourne's west and north-west, including Wyndham, Brimbank, Hume, Melton, Moonee Valley and Maribyrnong. Established communities also live in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and elsewhere across the country.

Building community

Eritrean Australians have established associations, churches, mosques, cultural centres, radio programs, businesses, youth activities and support services. These organisations help new arrivals settle, support families during difficult times and give younger generations opportunities to learn about language, faith, history and culture.

Weddings, religious celebrations, sporting activities, festivals and coffee ceremonies create places to maintain connections and pass traditions forward. Melbourne has hosted Eritrean cultural festivals for many years, while local Eritrean community radio has helped news, music and conversation travel between households.

A story still being written

Younger generations are contributing to education, business, technology, sport, public service, community leadership and the arts. Their experiences connect Eritrean heritage with everyday Australian life—and continue to expand what the Eritrean-Australian story can mean.