Greek Island Culture Shines in New Ionian Diaspora Exhibition

A moving tribute to the generations of Ionian Islanders who made Queensland their home has opened at The University of Queensland, offering an intimate look at the journeys, traditions and enduring spirit of one of Australia’s oldest Greek migrant communities.

The exhibition, ΝΟΣΤΟΙ | Homecomings: Stories of the Ionian Island Diaspora in Queensland, highlights the experiences of migrants from Kerkyra, Paxi, Lefkada, Ithaki, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Kythira who arrived in Australia throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Curated by the RD Milns Antiquities Museum in close partnership with Queensland’s Greek community, the display brings together more than 80 cherished artefacts, garments, documents, photographs and audio recordings. Together, they form a powerful portrait of Ionian heritage and the memories that continue to shape daily life for their descendants.

Museum Manager and Curator James Donaldson said the initiative was designed from the outset to be community-led.
“From the beginning, we wanted this to be a project shaped by the diaspora,” he said. “The stories, objects and voices come directly from families who generously entrusted us with their personal histories.”

Stories of Love, Migration and Identity

After conducting more than two dozen interviews, curators identified recurring themes: the courage of migration, the beauty of the islands, the power of faith and mythology, and the meaning of home.

One particularly poignant story is that of the late Yianni Manolatos, who arrived in Queensland from Ithaki in 1960 carrying a simple plumb bob—a tool he used to renovate homes across Brisbane in hopes of building a future for his family.

Community curator Voula Castan said the exhibition reflects the dual identity many Greek-Australians carry.
“These stories represent what Australia truly is: a nation built by migrants of countless cultures,” she said.
Castan contributed photos from her own family archive, including images from her parents’ wedding in Ithaki in 1929 and portraits of her uncle, Abbot Ierotheos Kallinikos, head monk of the Panagia Kathara Monastery.

Honouring Memory Through Art and Objects

Second-generation Greek-Australian artist Chrys Zantis also played a key role in the curation, offering photographs and heirlooms from her family’s personal collection. Among them is her mother Penelope’s ornate wedding gift—an elegant soup bowl patterned with a classical Greek key design.

Zantis said the exhibition honours the emotional landscapes migrants carried with them.
“Even though the world in my 1970s photographs has changed, the images capture rituals and rhythms that shaped our families’ lives,” she said.
“The most rewarding part of this project was being able to pause and truly honour my parents’ story.”

A Shared Migration Story

For many visitors, the exhibition also invites reflection on their own experiences of leaving home.
“The UQ campus hosts students from every corner of the world,” Zantis noted. “These stories resonate far beyond the Ionian diaspora.”

President of the Ithacan Society of Queensland, Barbara Vasdekis, said the project marks a milestone for the community.
“This is the first time Ionian Island culture has been shared so openly with the wider Australian public,” she said. “It allowed us to explore nostalgia, identity, memory and belonging.”

Exhibition Details

The exhibition is open to the public at the RD Milns Antiquities Museum and will run until 2027.
A special Community Day with guided tours will be held on 6 December 2025, from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Presented in collaboration with UQ Arts, the Kytherian Association of Queensland, the Ithacan Society of Queensland, Friends of Antiquity and the Kytherian Brotherhood of Queensland, ΝΟΣΤΟΙ | Homecomings stands as one of the most significant celebrations of Ionian culture ever staged in Australia.

It is not only a historical exhibition—it is a homecoming.