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Resources > Estonian House Sydney

posted on

15 May 2018

Estonian House Sydney

The Estonian Society of Sydney has served the local community since 1927 and the Estonian House, which serves as community and cultural centre, was the first outside Estonia established from locally raised funds.

Australia is host to one of the largest communities of Estonians abroad. In the 2016 Australian census, over 9,500 people identified as being of Estonian ancestry. The first Estonians settled in Australia in 1853 and the first Estonian Society was established in Melbourne in 1914. After Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940 and again in 1944, numerous Estonian exiles settled in Australia, contributing to development of Estonian culture in Australia. Estonian Houses were set up in Sydney (1940), Thirlmere (1952), Melbourne (1955), Adelaide (1957) and Perth (1966).