By: Fabio Baggio, 2009

This book is a collection and presentation of the historical events in the “small but tenacious” Italian community of Brisbane covering the period before the Second World War, specifically from 1870 to 1940.

It gives a testimony to the tenacity of the Italian community as evident in the hard work of its members and their adaptability and creativity in every kind of work – Italians were recorded to be present in practically all occupational sectors although they exhibited a clear preference for the retail and restaurant trades. The book also documents the significant role played by religion in the formation and consolidation of the Italian community in Brisbane.