The optimism of the post war years, which was the catalyst that brought the Baby Boomer generation into existence, also caused many newly weds in Europe to seek a new life away from the war-torn countries of their birth. To a previous generation, America had been the land of opportunity that had opened its arms wide and took in people from Europe seeking a new life and a new beginning. During the post World War II years, many countries in the British Commonwealth including Australia, embarked on extensive campaigns in Britain and the countries of mainland Europe to attract young families to emigrate.
In Australia, the advance of the Japanese in early 1942 and Australia's inability to defend itself made it clear to the Government of John Curtin that something would have to be done in the post war years to increase the nation's population. 'Total War' and conscription put a huge strain on our economy and further emphasized the need to 'populate or perish'. Before the war had concluded, the Department of Information, headed by Arthur Caldwell, had already begun to develop a plan to populate Australia. The Government pursued policies that fostered natural growth. Though the birth rate in Australia actually rose significantly during the war, natural increase was never likely to bring the sort of growth that was felt necessary to secure the country against the possibility of invasion.
Large-scale immigration was seen as the best solution and by late 1944 the Australian government had already begun negotiations with Britain for assisted migration programmes, which were readied for introduction as soon the war was over. Scare campaigns about the "Yellow Peril" and later, "Reds Under The Beds" which warned of the threat of Communism and invasion by Australia's northern neighbours, got the Australian population quickly supporting their government's expensive migrant programmes. In 1948, the Australian Federal Government initiated the "Bring Out A Briton" campaign which encouraged people living in Australia to sponsor British families, predominantly their relatives or friends.
In those times, all political parties in Australia supported a White Australia Policy and looked only to Britain and the countries of north-western European for migrants in the belief that people from these countries would easily adapt to the Australian way of life. Curtin did not live to see the plan put in place though there is little doubt that it exceeded his expectations.
The arrival of the first migrant ship in 1947 marked the beginning of an era that would continue until 1977 when the last of their kind, the passenger liner, SS Australis, disembarked the last of its passengers in Sydney (right). Assisted Passage migration from Europe would continue into the 1980s, however all new arrivals would now come by air. The composition of the first shipload of post-World War II migrants typified the kinds of people that would be attracted to Australia. It included Polish Allied ex-servicemen, displaced Jewish refugees, child migrants and Britons who had been nominated by relatives or by industry. Up until 1952, most non-British migrants were refugees who were transported in primitive former World War II troop carriers. After 1952, most non-British migrants came under Assisted Passage schemes, the main source countries being Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Germany and the former Yugoslavia. Headed by Arthur Caldwell, the Commonwealth Department of Immigration managed all aspects of migrant selection, financial arrangements associated with bringing them to Australia including their assisted passage, reception on arrival, placement in employment and temporary accommodation in migrant hostels for those requiring it.