The Olive Tree Grove provides a unique opportunity to honor our immigrant forbears, family members and friends. It is a permanent reminder of our heritage and the values of tolerance and unity in diversity, as well as the immense contribution Greek Australian’s have made to Australian society. Each of the Olive Trees in the Memorial Garden are available for purchase.

If you would like to purchase and olive tree please click here

Click on the indiviual trees to open an information page about the sponsor.

olive-trees-cunningham

 

 DEDICATIONS

 

No 1. Dedicated to Nicholas and Diamanta Gianniotis

Dedicated By Spiro Gianniotis

In loving memory of our father Nicholas (1894-1941) who arrived in Sydney, Australia from the village of Kato Livadi on the island of Kythera in 1923 and of our mother Diamanta (1898-1955) who later followed in 1928 with two of their ultimate six children. They made Australia their new home away from their beloved island. Dedicated by the children, their spouses Bessie and Theo, George and Mary, John and Agapy, Peter with Mary and Margaret, Spiro and Janette and Paul and Elizabeth.


No 2. Dedicated to Basil and Theodora Summers

Dedicated By Paul Summers

Vassilis Basile Calokerinos, (originally Kalokerinos) known locally as Bill Summers, came to Australia in 1924 from Kythera arriving on the ship called “Jervis Bay” He was born in Alexandrathes and completed high school in Hora. In 1922 he bought the Golden Bell Café, which had a popular bakery in Tamworth’s Peel St. In 1937, Vassilis married Theodora Glitsos in Sydney. Theodora was born in Dokana, Kythera. Her brothers, Bill and Andrew brought her to Tamworth where she met Vassilis. In 1950, Vassilis and two partners purchased the Canberra Café and The York in Manilla. He sold his share in 1954 and purchased The Post Office Hotel in Tamworth. Vassilis and Theodora had four children: Mary, Paul, Matina and Michael Summers. The family moved to Sydney in the 1970s.


No 3. Dedicated to Paul Cretan

Dedicated By Nick Cretan

Year of Arrival in Australia 1911 Blurb Migrated from Kithira in 1911 (Milopotamos) and worked in cafes, he returned to Greece in 1914 to fight in the war. Paul came back to Australia in 1919 to set up the Canberra Café in Queanbeyan. Paul had 7 children.


No 4. Dedicated to All the Kytherian Greeks who made the Journey from their homeland to Australia

Dedicated By Kytheriean Association of Australia


No 5. Dedicated to John Forides

 

No 6. Dedicated to James and Kathleen Zantis

Dedicated By Mary Conomos 

James and his brother Harry were the proprietors of the Zantis brothers Tea Rooms Café in Hope St Warialda from 1931. Brother Jack joined them in 1934. In 1935 they opened a second shop in Stephens Street called the Civic Café. Harry later moved to Inverell. James and Jack retained both shops until 1947 when they moved to Sydney. James Zantis left his birthplace, Kythera Greece, age 14, arriving in Australia 1911. Kathleen Zantis left her birthplace Kythera Greece, age 20 arriving in Australia 1939.

 

No 7. Dedicated to Ianthe Notaras nee Megaloeconomos

08/07/1908 to 06/09/1994

Dedicated by Betty Notaras Summers

Born in Potamos, Kythera , Greece . She was the fifth child of eleven children born to Vretoula Megaloeconomos (nee Stellios) and Michael Megaloeconomos.

She attended school in Potamos and was a good student. She excelled in Mathematics and Needlecraft. She learnt French and was called the “teachers pet” by her fellow students.

She helped in her parent’s home as a young adult however she preferred to assist in her father’s olive factory in Potamos during the olive crushing season. When the factory workers were processing the olives and making olive oil, Ianthe would assist her father by actively cooking and providing lunches for the factory workers. In addition to crushing olives for oil, they made soap and heat bricks. She showed great interest in the running of the factory. In the evenings she would do Needlecraft by an oil lamp with her sisters.

She married Anthony Lambrinos Notaras on 26/06/1932 and left a close knit family on the Island of Kythera where her father was the Mayor and a business man, for an unknown future overseas in Australia. She sailed to Australia in 1932 and settled in Grafton, New South Wales with her husband and became the mother of five children, Angelo, Mitchell, Irene, John and Betty.

In Grafton she was the nucleus of her family. She was motivated to learn English after her arrival in Grafton, despite having twin boys not long after she settled in the country town. She also studied English through a correspondence course. Studying English was unusual for migrant women at the time. She kept up to date with news, politics, business and the economy by reading the newspaper and listening to the news radio. She supported her husband and family in an active, intelligent, practical and loyal way.

She encouraged all her children to do well. She took an interest in all the products manufactured and sold by her family.

Above all, her family remembers her as a very maternal, devoted and loving mother.

 

No 8. Dedicated to Angela Coroneos

Dedicated By George Poulos  

Born Karavas, Kythera 23rd April 1928 Angela migrated to Australia in 1950 aged 22 to Wyong NSW. Angela married Con George Tzortzo (Poulos) 1951. Moved to Gilgandra, NSW where Con ran the local fruit market and milk bar for 22 years. Moved to Pendle Hill, Sydney as the children grew into adults and entered University. Loving mother to George, Olympia (deceased 1953) Peter, Phillip and Eric. Loving Grandmother to Angelique, Dean, Gabriella, Nick, Anna, Isabella and Sebastian. One of the greatest cooks in the world. An extremely loving woman.