Download (14Mb) - VUIR - Victoria University

community'.'* While never achieving the 'permanency' of later immigrant groups, the
shops and businesses of the settlers had attracted the custom of the general
community, their skills and abUities had grovm more valued, their close family
networks had eamed the respect of local people and they had been seen as honest,
generous and valued members of the community. Their willingness to integrate into
the wider population through intermarriage, business exchange and language helped
ease the way for their descendants, and for later generations of Italian-speaking
immigrants, to become accepted and appreciated members of Australian society.
Nowhere is this more clearly shown than in the story of the Gervasoni story which
follows.
313