A woman and 4 girls wear colourful traditional Italian dress, with bright scarves and shawls in reds, greens and blues.

From Italy With Love:

Following the migration journey of women from Italy to Fremantle (Gallery trail)

Italian women who migrated to Fremantle played a vital and often underrecognized role in shaping both the future of their family and that of the broader community. Arriving as wives, mothers, daughters, and grandmothers, these women brought with them resilience, cultural traditions, and unwavering dedication that helped establish strong family foundations amid the challenges of migration.

Their tireless efforts in running households, supporting family businesses, assisting newer migrants, and fostering community connections became the backbone of Fremantle’s vibrant Italian community.

From managing fishing and farming enterprises to organising cultural festivals and maintaining rich culinary traditions, Italian women nurtured not only their families but also a shared identity that strengthened Fremantle’s social fabric. Their stories reveal a legacy of courage, adaptation, and community spirit that continues to enrich Western Australia today.

Migration to Western Australia was very different when the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 was still in place. For more information on this, read this article:

The New Australians - Migration to WA

Begin at the Welcome Walls out the front of the Maritime Museum and follow these stops to discover stories, objects and images that highlight the challenges, achievements and contributions of these incredible women.

A glass sign with Welcome Walls and images is positioned in front of a building with a white curved roof and concrete walls.

Stop 1

Welcome to A New Home (Welcome Walls)

For many Italian migrants, Fremantle was their first view of a new life in Australia—and for many, it became home. Some felt relief at the journey’s end; others were struck by the quiet streets and barren landscape.

The Welcome Walls at the Maritime Museum honour those who arrived by sea and their lasting contributions to Western Australia.

More than 400 panels display the names of migrants who passed through Fremantle, including many Italian women who began new lives here as children, wives, mothers, or grandmothers. Explore their names and stories on the listed panels.

Maria Iannello (nee Cicerello): Panel 47

A close up of a silver wall inscribed with the names of passengers, the dates they arrived and the ship they sailed in on.names of

Maria Cicerello grew up in a tight-knit fishing community of Capo D’Orlando, Sicily. Her future husband Giacomo (Jim) Iannello, migrated to Fremantle from Capo D’Orlando when he was 11, working in fishing and later at the Manjimup Timber Mill before he went home to marry Maria when he was 24.

As was common for many couples at this time, Maria and Jim spent long periods apart as he served in the Italian army and worked across Italy and South America. Despite the distance, their family grew and maintained their close bond. In 1925, Jim returned to Fremantle—just weeks before the birth of his and Maria’s fifth child.

In Fremantle, Jim worked diligently in various jobs, saving to bring his family over. Eldest son, Giacomo Ernesto, joined him in 1929, followed by Maria and their daughters in 1931. Reunited, they settled in Arundel Street, later becoming Australian citizens and buying a home in Howard Street, where their family continued to grow.

A black and white photo showing a man with a moustache in a suit and tie, a woman with dark hair wearing a double stranded necklace, with two small children (a boy and a girls) between them. He wears a light coloured suit with a large collar, and she has a large bow in her hair and earrings in her ears.

Photo of Maria and Jim Iannello and two eldest children
Credit: Image courtesy Robert (Bob) Iannello

To find out more about Maria’s story, visit the 'Resilience and Resourcefulness' section below.

Maria La Rosa: Panel 144

A close up of a silver panel inscribed with names.

Maria La Rosa, from Capo D’Orlando, Sicily, was on one of the first Italian migrant women to settle in Fremantle, arriving here in 1920 with her husband, Vincenzo.

Because Maria was one of the few female Italian migrants at that time, she provided a home, support and refuge to the many young, teenage male Italians who came to work in Fremantle. Maria was remembered as someone who nurtured young migrants and helped them survive the challenges of relocation.

Signorino Vinciullo: Panel 15 (Carolina Vinciullo)

In 1952, Carolina Vinciullo arrived in Fremantle from Sicily, with her mother Giuseppa and young daughters, joining her husband Signorino, who had arrived in 1949.

With Nonna Giuseppa caring for the home and children, Carolina and Signorino worked tirelessly on their poultry farm and liquor store. Driven and resourceful, Carolina led the family’s investment ventures and helped establish several successful businesses.

She also supported the Sicilian Club in Perth, helping organise community events that celebrated and shared Sicilian culture.

typed text on a blue background, featuring a black and white head shot of a woman with dark hair. There are round purple stamps covering the photo and some text

Copy of Carolina Vinciullo’s Identification Card
Credit: Vinciullo Family

Carmelo & Rosa Conti: Panel 409

Carmelo Conti arrived in Fremantle from Sicily in 1925, followed by wife Rosa and their first two children in 1927. They settled in Wanneroo, raising eight children and building a thriving farm with a market garden, orchard, and vineyard.

A quiet and devoted woman, Rosa cared for the home, children, and livestock, while also producing bread, cheese, olive oil, and daily meals for her large family and vineyard workers. She led the seasonal making of sausages and tomato sauce—traditions that nourished both body and culture.

Rosa and Carmelo founded one of Wanneroo’s first wineries, now known as Paul Conti Wines, and family-run by their son and grandson.

A black and white photo showing a family group of mother and father, three sons and three daughters. All are dressed nicely and arranged formally in a studio portrait.

Rosa and Carmelo in a family portrait with six of their children
Credit: Conti Family

Mendolia Family: Panel 76 (Rosa Mendolia)

Francolino Mendolia visited Fremantle in 1952, and then brought his wife, Rosa and eldest child out in 1954. Franco worked as a fisherman and Rosa worked tirelessly to support her husband and children as they went on to establish a very successful sardine business in Fremantle.

Read more about the Mendolia family in the 'Women at Work' section below.

Read more about the Welcome Walls here: The Welcome Walls

Now that you have explored the Welcome Walls, make your way inside the museum (entry fees apply) to discover more stories of Italian women in Fremantle.

First, head into the Hooked on Fishing Gallery on the Ground floor and look for the display beneath the fishing boat, Doria.

A small wooden boat with the name of Doria. Its bottom half is painted a dull red, the top half is white, and the rim of the boat is blue.

Stop 2

Nets of Kinship (Hooked on Fishing Gallery, Ground Level)

By 1900, just over 180 Italians lived in Fremantle. These migrants arrived mainly from the fishing communities of Capo D’Orlando in Sicily and Molfetta. Due to poverty and unemployment in Sicily they sought better opportunities in Australia.

Within these migrant communities, strong ties to hometowns helped form tight-knit support networks. These informal networks helped new arrivals find work and adjust to life in Fremantle. Family connections were vital, with brothers, sons, and cousins following each other, seeking and creating work predominantly in the fishing industry, where traditional skills came to the forefront.

The 1920s saw a rise in Italian migration to Western Australia, including more women and children joining their husbands. Many families settled themselves in Fremantle around Marine Terrace. Particular clusters formed around the Howard and Arundel Street area.

Look up to see the Doria suspended above you, a generous bequest from a respected migrant family.

For the Italian fishing families in Fremantle, their boats were their lifeline. Raffaele Minervini, who had come to Fremantle from a fishing community in the Molfetta region, had commissioned the Doria to be built in 1924. Doria was used for line fishing and was later adapted to take on rock lobster fishing. After Raffaele retired, Doria was used for family recreational fishing before it was ultimately donated to the Western Australian Museum.

Living Afloat, Settling Ashore

A mannequin wearing a white rain suit and hood sits in front of a display of fishing equipment.

The first Sicilian fishers came to Western Australia in the 1880s, setting up at Point Peron on their boats or in a squatter’s camp, selling cooperatively at the Rockingham Fishing Company.

Not long after the Sicilian fishers arrived, fishers from Molfetta came to Fremantle. This group were more inclined to live aboard boats and later in group accommodation on High Street and Cliff Street.

In the early years, there were very few Italian women who joined their fishing husbands. In this display you can see photos of some of the wives who migrated in those early years.

A bride and groom stand for a formal wedding photo. She has a long white train and is carrying a large bouquet of flowers that trails in front of her dress. He wears a dark suit and is holding his gloves

Nunzia Santaromita and Vincenzo Capone on their wedding day in 1937
Credit: Miragliotta Capone

A black and white photo showing a group of adults and children on the shore with a large fishing net and basket. Two men stand on a small boat that is pulled up to the shore.

Maria Del Rosso on the beach at Safety Bay with her family and Ignazio Salvemini’s children in 1945
Credit: Frank Del Rosso

Rosa Rotondello outside her Fremantle home in the 1980s
Credit: Brent Sumner

At the short end of this display, find the sewing machine.

Vintage black Singer sewing machine with gold detailing, featuring a hand crank and mounted on a wooden base

While male Italian migrants moved wherever suitable work was available, their wives often settled in urban centres like Fremantle, where social support and job opportunities were more accessible. Their presence encouraged the growth of Italian-run businesses catering to domestic, religious, and social needs.

Boarding houses and wine saloons offered newcomers a place to connect and learn about local work. Italian families formed close-knit communities located around Howard, Arundel, and Collie Streets, where mothers and children shared skills like cooking and sewing.

Despite limited means, women took pride in keeping their families well presented. Sewing machines like the one displayed here were rare, which meant many homemakers relied on sewing kits to hand-make or repair clothes and household items.

While men worked in fishing, shipbuilding, timber, mining, and manufacturing, women often supported the household through roles in family-run restaurants, dress-making and tailoring businesses, or through hairdressing.

Generations at Sea

A black and white photo showing three older men standing. In front of them are three mature women dressed in black, all seated. Another black and white phot below this one shos a woman flanked by men on either side, standing in front of a boat call Doria.

Minervini brothers and their wives: Raffaele and Angela, Saverio and Maria, Domenico and Rosa
Credit: John and Frances Minervini

Born in Molfetta, Raffaele Minervini migrated to Fremantle in 1912, later joined by his three brothers. They worked at sea, living on their boats and selling their fish through a Molfettese cooperative.

Raffaele returned to Italy, married Angela Pisani, and stayed there for a few years. He came back to Fremantle shortly after their son John was born, while Angela and John joined him in 1937.

The Minervini brothers and their families lived together above a High Street store before buying their own homes and supporting their children as they grew up to have their own successful lives.

Angela and Raffaele’s son, John Minervini grew up to become General Manager of the Fremantle Fishermen’s Co-Operative, playing a key role in developing WA’s lucrative rock lobster industry.

Stay at this display and walk down the right-hand side to find the green, black and yellow costumes.

Mothers, Madonnas, and the Sea

Two women's outfits on mannequins in a display case, one with a red skirt and the other with yellow.

The Blessing of the Fleet, a centuries-old tradition to bless fishing boats before the season, was brought to Fremantle by Molfettese fishermen in 1948. Today, it is celebrated as a multicultural festival while maintaining strong ties to the towns of Molfetta and Capo D’Orlando.

Since 1952, Sicilian women have carried the Madonna di Capo d’Orlando statue in the procession through Fremantle to Fishing Boat Harbour, while men carry the Molfettese Madonna dei Martiri. Women and children also wear traditional regional costumes, highlighting their cultural heritage.

Daughter of Sicilian immigrants from Capo d’Orlando, Frances Carmada began her career in Fremantle assisting post-war European migrants with immigration paperwork.

She met John Minervini (son of Raffaele and Angela) while living on Arundel Street; they married in 1954 at St Patrick’s Basilica and raised four children. The family later moved their home to Marine Terrace.

John led the Blessing of the Fleet committee for over 40 years, with Frances supporting him by writing speeches and organising fundraisers.

Frances and her friend Connie Travia founded the Queen of the Fishing Fleet Festival Ball at the Pagoda Ballroom, celebrating faith, tradition, and the fishing community through this cherished event.

Have a look at the dresses before you. These children’s regional costumes from Molfetta and Sicily were donated by the Minervini family.

The images below highlight the important role that women and their daughters play in the Blessing of the Fleet parades.

A woman in a long white dress and royal blue cape walks in a parade. She is surrounded by children and other women, and leads a group of women who carry a large statue of the Virgin Mary on their shoulders.

Small children are gathered together to walk in a parade. One wears a white dress and veil that resembles a communion gown. Others wear red or green head scarves with matching skirts, some with white aprons. they carry bouquets of flowers in their hands.

Blessing of the Fleet images
Credit: Roger Garwood

For more information about the Blessing of the Fleet, visit:

An Old Tradition - The Blessing of the Fleet

From the costumes, turn to your left and walk towards the suspended ferry, Valdura. Next to the Valdura is a wall display on Fremantle’s Fish companies.

a display wall featuring assorted fishing industry items, including life jacket, fishing crates, and model seafood.

Stop 3

Women at Work (Hooked on Fishing Gallery, Ground Level)

This display features some of the remarkable contributions of Italian-Australian families who helped shape Fremantle’s vibrant cultural and economic landscape. Behind the scenes were the loyal women who steadily supported their family businesses, strengthened community ties, and left lasting legacies celebrated to this day.

From Market Street to Maritime Success

blue and white packing boxes for fresh seafood

Look up to find the Sealanes boxes on display

Mary (Maria) Vergona took over the Roma Fruit Palace on Market Street after her father returned to Italy following World War One. One of the first shops to import continental foods, it became a key gathering place for Fremantle’s Italian community.

With her husband, Salvatore Paino—who arrived from the Lipari Islands in 1913—Mary helped grow the family business. Salvatore later founded Sealanes, a major supplier to the maritime and seafood industries.

Mary’s leadership kept the Roma Fruit Palace thriving and laid the foundation for Sealanes’ success. Her work supported migrant families and strengthened cultural ties, making her a vital figure in Fremantle’s Italian heritage.

A black and white image showing a vintage fish supply store, with its front window advertised as 'refrigerated' and displaying fresh fish. A man in neat trousers and a cardigan, shirt and tie stands at the front door with a welcoming smile on his face.

Fremantle Fish Supply, foundation of Sealanes
Credit: Sealanes Food Supplies , formerly Fremantle Fish Supply

From Backyard Beginnings

An orange plastic basket lies on its side, and contains an assortment of different size cans of anchovies, tuna and sardines

Find the plastic basket of sardine tins.

Arriving in Fremantle in 1954, Rosa and Francolino Mendolia embraced the local Italian community. Franco, experienced in WA’s lobster industry, had noticed the abundant sardines in local waters on previous journeys.

Rosa, a talented cook and mother of five, became renowned for her sardine dishes—hand-filleting and preparing them in Spanish-style marinades or with herbs and tomato sauce. Her school lunches were famously fresh and generous.

In 1980, their son Jim began fishing professionally, and Rosa started selling surplus sardines from home. This backyard trade inspired The Fremantle Sardine Company and later, Mendolia Seafoods.

Rosa insisted on fair prices, proud of her family’s hard work. She inspired the “Bella del Tindari” and “Auschovies” brands, with Italian-themed packaging. Their sardines became supermarket favourites. Can you find them in the orange basket?

The Fremantle Sardine Festival—founded by Jim in 1991— attracted up to 70,000 people and supported Fremantle Hospital’s Children’s Ward.

Though a sardine disease paused production, the business revived in 2018 with a new factory and expanded products. Jim Mendolia received the Michael Kailis Leadership Award in 2019 and was inducted into the National Seafood Hall of Fame. Rosa’s recipes remain the heart of their success, featured in national cookbooks and TV programs.

A smiling older lady displays a dish of frsh sardines. she stands with her grown son on one side and an older man on her other.

Rosa with her son Jim and husband Francolino circa 1993
Credit: Mendolia family

Turn left and walk back past the Blessing of the Fleet costumes, and head up the stairs.

At the top, turn right and keep walking until you reach the display pictured below.

A walkway between gallery cabinets displaying war related items, including clothing and model ships.

Stop 4

Resilience and Resourcefulness (Naval Defence Gallery, Level 1)

A ship's gangway stretches up high into the gallery. Underneath are some vintage passenger arrival signs displayed with cargo items on trollies, such as boxes and a blue metal barrel.

Stop 5

Gateway to a New Life (Fremantle Gallery, Level 1)

Walk around the gangway to find this location:

A vintage white sign with red lettering pictured at the based of a roped-off gangway.

This gangway, used at Victoria Quay between the 1950s and 1970s, welcomed thousands of post-war migrants arriving by ship to Fremantle.

After Italians were reclassified as non-enemy aliens in 1947, migration resumed. Driven by post-war poverty, around 40,000 Italians came to Western Australia in search of opportunity—mainly during the 1950s and ’60s. Despite the change in status of political alliances, prejudice remained in the Australian community regarding Italian migrants —especially Southern Italians — who faced widespread negative stereotypes.

To balance gender ratios in the incoming migrant population, single Italian women were sponsored as domestic workers under assisted passage schemes.

These migration waves brought greater representation of Italian regions within migrant communities, with Italians working in local industries such as State Engineering Works, Ford, D’Orsogna Smallgoods, and Mills & Wares Biscuits.

Two dark haired women, each holding a small child, disembark from a ship down a gangway.

Vittoria Melia with her daughter Claudia, two years of age and her sister-in-law Maria Melia and her daughter Franca disembarking the Neptunia at Fremantle Port 6 April 1963
Credit: Vittoria Melia

Packed with Promise

Inside a display case is a very worn old suitcase. It is opened to show items of clothing, and children's books written in Dutch.

At the base of the gangway, look to your right to see a suitcase display. Migrants were allowed to bring only limited belongings. These items often carried deep personal meaning or practical value for a new life.

This suitcase belonged to the Peters family, who migrated from the Netherlands in the 1950s. Like many others, it contained a mix of items from the old world and the new: books in Dutch and English, embroidered cushion covers, a weaving shuttle, and a decorative trivet.

Across decades, migrant luggage has told evocative stories of identity, hope, and resilience. The more recent arrivals were enabled with additional luggage space to bring more significant belongings.

Look at the arrival years of the women below and the lists of some items they brought:

•    Carolina Vinciullo (1952) brought velvet dresses, crocheted capes, liquor, and a coffee set.

•    Vittoria Melia (1963) arrived with items from her glory box and gifts including towels, sheets, a fancy liqueur set, coffee cups, and cutlery.

•    Adele Forlani (1960) packed a pasta-making machine and cooking pot.

•    Vincenza Mancuso (1968) brought seven suitcases filled with clothing, linens, wedding gifts, and a glory trunk.

•    Franca Roberti (1976) and her family shipped furniture and artworks in a large container that arrived three months after they did.

Each suitcase carried more than belongings—it carried the promise of a new beginning.

Still facing the suitcases, walk a little to your left until you find a mannequin with a red hostess suit.

From Sea to Shore

ALT TEXT: A female mannequin wears a red jacket with a white and red striped collar and cuffs, and a red skirt. It wears a white hat with a red hat band. Behind is a collection of signage in foreign languages.

After World War Two, Italian shipping lines like Flotta Lauro launched larger, more comfortable passenger ships. The Achille Lauro was one such vessel, offering a more familiar and welcoming journey for Italian migrants—right down to the food and entertainment.

On display are a dinner menu and social program from the ship, printed in both English and Italian:

Look closely and see if you can answer:

• What’s the joke on the Ladies’ Night dance card? “You may not tempt men with offers of…?”

• What three dishes would YOU choose from the menu—and can you read their names in Italian?

Many families who arrived on the Achille Lauro are now honoured on the Welcome Walls outside the WA Maritime Museum.

A cruise liner with a blue hull and white upper sails into port on smooth waters. Tug boats guide it in, and the sky and water are both bright blue

Achille Lauro in port
Credit: Nicholas Pusenjak WAMM Collection (MHD 499-91-1835)

By the 1960s, new arrivals were greeted by Fremantle Hostesses—multilingual women dressed in the bright red uniform you see here. They helped newcomers with wayfinding information to take their first steps in a new land.

A red jacket in a sailor suit design, featuring a shite collar with red stripes

Stop 6

Enduring Legacy

Stop 7

References

Blessing of the Fleet Traditional dress
Credit: Roger Garwood