In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Lithuanian community in Australia, Lithuanian Central State Archives, together with the Australian Lithuanian Archives, invite you to reflect on the history of the settlement and establishment of Australian Lithuanians on the old continent. Also, we are continuing this ten-part virtual exhibition dedicated to Australian Lithuanians, which will be open throughout 2025. This part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Lithuanian press in Australia and the Lithuanian radio in Adelaide.

After the Second World War, as Lithuanians began to emigrate to Australia in large numbers, a need arose for their own Lithuanian press. The refugees from the German displaced-persons (DP) camps were educated, patriotic people determined to preserve their identity and ties with Lithuania. The conditions for publishing were unfavorable: the Lithuanian community was scattered across Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and other cities), and the Australian government offered no concessions for foreign-language publications. Despite these difficulties, the Lithuanian press in Australia withstood the challenges of the time. The first Lithuanian newspapers appeared in the postwar years: “Australijos lietuvis” in 1948 in Adelaide, “Musu pastoge” in 1949 in Sydney, and “Teviskes aidai” in 1956 in Melbourne. In Adelaide, “Sventadienio balsas” and “Adelaides lietuviu zinios” were also published, along with many other periodicals across the country. The newspapers’ path was not easy: funds were scarce, editors changed, and some papers ceased to exist – although “Musu pastoge” celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2024.

Alongside the Lithuanian press, the issue of Lithuanian-language radio programs for the Lithuanian community in Australia also arose. On Saturday, March 13, 1977, at 10 a.m., the Lithuanians of Adelaide heard the first Lithuanian radio broadcast. This one-hour program has been aired every Saturday ever since. 

The virtual exhibition “Australian Lithuanians. Part 6” consists of two sections: “The Lithuanian Press in Australia” and “Adelaide’s Lithuanian Radio.” The exhibition features documents from the activities of the “Australijos Lietuvis Publishing Co.”, photographs commemorating the publication of the newspapers “Australijos lietuvis” and “Musu pastoge”, as well as samples of various Lithuanian periodicals in Australia. The work of Adelaide’s Lithuanian radio is illustrated by photographs of radio staff capturing moments in the studio during the Adelaide Lithuanian radio hours.

Traditionally, the exhibition presents documents preserved in the Australian Lithuanian Archives. We are grateful to Daina Pocius for making the documents kept in Australia accessible to the wider public.