Polish Hill River Church Museum in association with Panorama and the Dom Polski Centre is once again participating in the South Australian History Festival 2016.

We are presenting two exhibitions, one at the Dom Polski Centre and another at Polish Hill River.

Polish Migration & Crafty Poles

This year’s exhibition at the Dom Polski Centre “Three Waves of Polish Migration”, traces the arrival of Polish people in South Australia. The first wave in the 1850’s when Poles from the Dąbrówka Wielkopolska and Zbąszyń region travelled and established a settlement in the Clare Valley now called Polish Hill River. The next came at the end of the Second World War, when Polish “Displaced Persons”, unable to return to Poland began arriving in the 1940’s and 1950’s and then in the 1980’s once again, Polish people sought refuge from an Oppressive Communist Poland, settling in Australia, the so called “Solidarity Years”.

The exhibition will be:

  • open 10:00am to 6:00pm each day from Friday 6th May to Sunday 22nd May at the Dom Polski Centre
  • Officially Opened by His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AO on Saturday 7th May at 2:30pm. For catering purposes, please contact Jerzy Mrotek 8261 6983 or Edward Dudzinski 8344 8988 to reserve your place and arrive by 2:00pm.
  • Screening two film associated with emigration to South Australia by Filmmaker Sophia Turkiewicz
    1. Silver City to be shown on Friday 13th May at 11:00am and again on Friday 20th May at 2:00pm
    2. Once My Mother to be Shown Friday 13th May at 2:30pm and again on Friday 20th May at 11:00am

Entry to the exhibition is free, come for an hour or a day. See how others emigrated. Share your story with us.

The Museum at Polish Hill River will also be opened on the 1st, 15th, 22nd and 29th May from 11:00am to 4:00pm with a special exhibition entitled “Crafty Poles” showcasing traditional crafts, embroidery, knitting, weaving and tapestry. For centuries traditional folk art has thrived in small villages and towns of Poland. Come and see for yourself.