The Development of Croatian Communal Places in Sydney
The Development of Croatian Communal Places in Sydney

Summary/Abstract: Among many ethnic collectives, diverse Croatian collectivities shape public space in Sydney and other Australian cities. Migrants establish their own places of worship, social and sports clubs, schools, child-care and aged-care facilities, mobilising limited resources. Through their own initiatives, commitment and investment of money and good will, migrants have established communal places in over 410 localities throughout the metropolitan area. This development is a consequence of cultural differences, settler needs, altitudes of the social structures, and organisational capability. The development of twelve communal places at different locations signifies the post-war Croatian settlement in Sydney. These communal places signify the re-territorialisation of people and cultures, transnational nodes and key landmarks that define Sydney as a dynamic multicultural global city. Using the concept of ethnic community capital that informs the functional, spatial, financial, social and phenomenological aspects of this development, information on this important social development is presented on the basis of data provided by local ethnic communal organisations. The introduction to this significant grass-root contribution of Croatian settlers is grounded within a theoretical framework, and a social and urban context.

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