SYDNEY LITHUANIAN COMMUNITIES
A GLANCE INTO THE PAST


Weekend school - 1950's
From left: Keraitis, Dryža, Mauragienė, B.Genys, Fr. P.Butkus,
T.Zakarevičienė, G.Kazokienė, B.Stašionis
Sydney Lithuanian Community
Lithuanians arriving in Australia after the Second World War already found a functioning Australian Lithuanian Society in Sydney (Australijos Lietuviu Draugija - ALD). As even more Lithuanian migrants arrived and became dispersed throughout Australia, the ALD constitution had to be changed, so as to encompass other locations within Australia.
An ALD meeting on December 30, 1948, approved a new constitution, which set out the functions of the Federal Committee and of the various Section Committees in Australia.

Committee for the 1972 Australian Lithuanian Days in Sydney
Sitting from left - V.Kazokas, G.Kazokienė, B.Vingilis, D.Labutytė-Bieri,
P.Daukutė-Pullinen Standing from left - A.Bučinkas,
V.Šliteris, B.Žalys, V.Deikus, J.Zinkus, A.Dudaitis,
A.Reisgys, B.Stašionis, S.Skorulis, V.Daudaras
The first meeting of the ALD Sydney Section was held on February 6, 1949, at the Dulwich Hill parish hall with 40 members present. A Section Committee was duly elected, mainly from people living at the camp near the Potts Hill water works. An energetic Committee formed subcommittees for various spheres of community life, but they did not become very active. On the occasion of the February 16 Independence Day that year a Mass was celebrated in the St. Francis church in Dulwich Hill, which was followed by a commemoration in the adjacent parish hall, with more than 400 Lithuanians present and the attendance of Bishop E.M. O'Brien. That occasion was the first numerous gathering of Lithuanians in Sydney.

Teachers at weekend school, 1980's
From left: J.Lašaitienė, N.Venclovienė, Fr. P.Butkus,
R.Migienė, J.Šliterienė, J.Reisgytė-Fraser,
E.Viržintienė
On June 18, 1950, a protest day was organised condemning the Soviet Union, which had occupied Lithuanian 10 years earlier. That same year, following the urging of the Federal Executive of the Australian Lithuanian Community (ALC), at a meeting on August 13 it was decided to reorganise the Section into an ALC Regional Community.
A new ALC Sydney Committee was elected, which became very active, calling meetings every Sunday and organising interesting talks to new arrivals. Various subcommittees were again formed, but not much was done by them.
Initially the Committee was reelected annually, but after 1971 biannual Committee elections were introduced. The Committee to this day concerns itself with organising the commemoration of the major Lithuanian national days and various cultural and other events. The Committee also supports the Lithuanian sporting festivals and conventions held within its boundaries, likewise Lithuanian education and other cultural and artistic units.

At end of school year for the weekend school, 06-12-81
After 13years of separate existence, the Cabramatta Lithuanian Community rejoined the Sydney Lithuanian Community in 1965, so did the Bankstown Lithuanian Community in 1967. A more united and harmonious community resulted.
Cabramatta Lithuanian Community
Sydney Lithuanians living furthest from central Sydney petitioned the ALC Federal Executive to establish a separate ALC Regional Community. The Federal Executive gave its consent and so on December 14, 1952, the inaugural meeting of the Cabramatta Lithuanian Community was held. A Committee of 5 members was elected. There was a lot happening in the first five years. Once a month Fr. P. Butkus celebrated Mass in the Mt. Pritchard Catholic church and community meetings were held in the parish hall. On February 16, 1954, a Lithuanian weekend school began its work in the garage of the Pauliukonis family home. Adjacent to the school a scouts group was established, led by T. Rotcas. After the community's activities began to wane, it rejoined the Sydney Lithuanian Community in 1965.

ALC Sydney Committee 1987-88
From left, sitting - Gražina Grybaitė, Alfa Savickienė,
standing - Albinas Giniūnas, Jonas Zinkus,
absent - Antanas Kramilius
Bankstown Lithuanian Community
In 1948 - 49 many Lithuanians, completing their two year work contracts with the Australian government, were housed near Bankstown, in the railway workers tent "city" in Chullora and the water reticulation workers camp in Regents Park. Even before completing their work contracts, Lithuanians bought blocks of land in the Bankstown district and started building houses, or alternatively garages that became temporary homes for their families, which they brought to Sydney from holding centres for families established in locations distant from Sydney. Other Lithuanians bought land blocks in the Bankstown district to be near relatives and friends.
The ALC Federal Executive, recognising that many Lithuanians had settled in this southern Sydney district, decided to establish the ALC Bankstown Regional Community. The inaugural meeting was called for March 15, 1953, to which 68 persons came. The meeting elected a 5 member Committee, which very soon realised the need for a community house in Bankstown. Donations were sought and in the beginning of 1954 a block of land was purchased for £750.
Different Committees over a number of years all collected donations and sought the establishment of a community house. During a community meeting in 1956 a council for the building of a Lithuanian House was elected. Lithuanian architects I. Jonaitis and V. Vazgelevičius produced a building plan, which was approved by the Bankstown City Council towards the end of the year. As early as the following year building works were begun, always supported by the Bankstown Community Committee. On March 20, 1958, the weekend school was relocated to the community's own premises. On May 19 various youth groups organised a fete, with the hall at that stage still not having a floor. The Lithuanian House was blessed by Bishop V. Brizgys on March 18, 1959. Having its own home revitalised the Lithuanian community, with its activities under the care of the annually reelected Committee.

Committee for the 1986 Australian Lithuanian Days in Sydney
Sitting from left - L. Cox, P.Pullinen, A.Migus, K.Protas, J.Zinkus,
Karpavičius, Standing from left - G.Kazokienė, J.Lašaitienė, A.Šepokas,
M.Cox, D.Bieri, A.Giniūnas, N.Venclovienė, Fr. P. Butkus, Zakarauskienė,
B.Žalys

ALC Sydney Committee, September 2001
From left: Denis Staitis, Daniel Hornas, Ramona Zakarevičius,
Ramutis Zakarevičius, Vincas Bakaitis, Danny Kalėda

ALC Sydney Committee, 2004
From Left: Vytautas Deikus (President), Eglė Gailiūnaitė (Secretary),
Rasa Blansjaar (Vice-President),Vincas Bakaitis (Public Officer),
absent - Teodoras Rotcas (Treasurer)

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2005-2007
From Left: Rymantė Gell (Communications with Press & Community),
Teodoras Rotcas (President & Treasurer),
Vincas Bakaitis (Public Officer & Joint Baltic Committee
Representative),Nijolė Bartkuvienė (Functions Coordinator),
Arvydas Rupšys (Vice-President)
(Missing) Greta Savickaitė-Fletcher (Secretary)
Australian Lithuanian Society Sydney Section Presidents
1949 - Jonas Karitonas
1950 - Jonas Gaižauskas

Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney Presidents
1950 - Justinas Vaičaitis
1951 - Vaclovas Saudargas
1952 - Stasys Pačėsa
1953 - Feliksas Sipavičius
1954 - Donatas Karosas (moved to Canada)
1955 - Vladas Miniotas
1956 - Aleksas Jasaitis
1957 - Vytautas Bukevičius
1958 - Aleksas Jasaitis
1959 - Henrikas Stošius
1960 - Vincas Augustinavičius
1961-62 - Henrikas Stošius
1963-64 - Simas Narušis
1965-66 - Vladas Miniotas
1967 - Julius Veteikis (Bankstown Lithuanian Community joined)
1968 - Algirdas Dudaitis
1969 - Vytautas Deikus
1970-72 - Anskis Resigys
1973-74 - Juozas Maksvytis
1977-78 - Vaclovas Saudargas
1979-86 - Aleksandras Mauragis
1987-88 - Albinas Giniūnas
1989-90 - Juratė Reisgytė-Fraser
1990-91 - Albinas Giniūnas
1991-97 - Vytautas Juška
1997-99 - Albinas Giniūnas
1999-2000 - Antanas Kramilius
2000-01 - Vytautas Doniela
2001-03 - Ramutis Zakarevičius
2004-05 - Vytautas Deikus
2005-07 - Teodoras Rotcas
2007-08 - Greta Savickaitė-Fletcher
2008-09 - Albina Liutackienė
2009-10 - Greta Savickaitė-Fletcher, Vytas Juška
2010-14 - Ramutis Zakarevičius
2015-17 - Jadvyga Burokienė
2018-19 - Monika Čyplienė
2020 - Šarūnas Rimša
2021-22 - Alfonsas Stonis
2022-24 Jurgita Černauskaitė

Bankstown Lithuanian Community Presidents
1953 - Ignas Pranulis
1954 - Edvardas Slonskis
1955 - Juozas Ramanauskas
1956 - Bronius Stašionis
1957 - Stasys Pačėsa
1958 - Mindaugas Šumskas
1959-60 - Mykolas Nakutis
1961-62 - M.Zakaras
1963 - Jonas Abromas
1964 - A.Lelešius
1964 - E.Eidėjus
1965 - Edvardas Slonskis
1966 - E.Eidėjus
1967 - Bronius Genys (joined the Sydney Lithuanian Community)

Cabramatta Lithuanian Community Presidents
E.Migevičius
N.Cininas
J.A.Skirka
V.Deikus
C.Petniūnas
V.Bitinas

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2008-2009
(L-R): Rymantė Gell (media representative),
Alvyda Auglienė (events organiser), Albina Liutackienė (president),
Margarita Bimbienė (secretary), Danutė Lee (treasurer)

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2010
(L-R) Jadvyga Burokienė (functions),
Greta Savickaitė – Fletcher (vice-president), Audronė Pouičienė (secretary),
Vytas Juška (president), Kristina Dičiūnienė (treasurer)

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2011.
(L-R) Front row - Jadvyga Burokienė (functions),
Ramona Zakarevičienė (publicity),
Kristina Dičiūnienė (treasurer).
Back row - Dr. Danius Kairaitis (vice-president),
Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius (president), Kęstutis Protas (secretary).
(Missing) Greta Savickaitė-Fletcher (Youth Liaison)
Photo courtesy “Mūsų Pastogė”

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2012 - 2013
Sitting (L-R): Jadvyga Burokienė, Ramona Zakarevičienė,
Aušra Vegienė, Kristina Dičiūnienė
Standing (L-R): Kęstutis Protas, Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2014.
Sitting (L-R): Ramona Zakarevičienė, Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius,
Kęstutis Protas
Standing (L-R): Kristina Dičiūnienė, Jadvyga Burokienė

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2015.
Sitting (L-R): Jolanta Beitnaraitė - Mestanza, Kristina Dičiūnienė,
Jadvyga Burokienė, Ramona Ratas- Zakarevičienė,
Standing (L-R): Audrius Čyplys, Ričardas Bukis.
Photo by Monika Čyplys

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2016.
(L-R): Kristina Dičiūnienė, Ričardas Bukis, Audrius Čyplys,
Aida Abromas, Jadvyga Burokienė.
Absent: Jolanta Beitnaraitė - Mestanza. Photo courtesy "Mūsų Pastogė"

“ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2017.
(L-R second row) - Aida Abromas, Raimonda Kniūkštė, Monika Čyplys,
Audrius Čyplys, Dr. Alfonsas Stonis,(L-R first row) - Kristina Dičiūnienė,
Jadvyga Burokienė and Romas Cibas (chairman during the AGM).
(Absent) Jurgita Bieri. Photo courtesy “Mūsų Pastogė”

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2018.
(L-R second row) - Dr. Alfonsas Stonis, Jurgita Bieri,
(L-R first row) Audrius Čyplys Monika Čyplienė, Indrė Pudžmytė,
(Absent) Jurgita Černiauskaitė. Photo courtesy “Mūsų Pastogė”

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2019.
(L-R) - Monika Čyplienė (President), Akvilina Cicėnaitė-Charles,
Jurgita Bieri, Audrius Čyplys, Dr. Alfonsas Stonis, Jūratė Rimšienė,
(Absent) Gita Gilvydis

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2020.
(L-R) – Šarūnas Rimša (President), Aida Abromienė, Jūratė Rimšienė,
Ramona Zakarevičienė, Dr. Alfonsas Stonis, Justė Stonienė.
(Absent) Veronika Daukaitė. Photo courtesy “Mūsų Pastogė”.

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2022.
(L-R) – Rūta Peleckienė (Secretary), Veronika Daukaitė (Member),
Irena Dana Stumbras (Treasurer), Jurgita Černauskaitė (President),
Daumantas Azarinskas (Vice-president),
Venta Protaitė – Thompson (Member & Public Officer),
Dr. Alfonsas Stonis (Member). Photo courtesy Jurgita Černauskaitė

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2023.
(L-R) – Daumantas Azarinskas (Vice-president),
Ernesta Vytienė (Functions organiser), Jurgita Černauskaitė (President),
Rūta Peleckienė (Secretary), Venta Protaitė - Thompson (Public Officer).
Absent - Irena Dana Stumbras (Treasurer). Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis.

ALC- Sydney Inc. Committee, 2024.
(L-R) Jurgita Černauskaitė, Ernesta Vytienė, Venta Protaitė-Thompson,
Akvilė Ciplijauskaitė, Irena Dana Stumbras, Rūta Peleckienė.
(Absent) Daumantas Azarinskas. Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis.

Text by Jonas Zinkus
Translated by Ramutis Zakarevičius