The Armenian-Australian Community
The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU) is one of the largest and most influential Armenian-Australian grassroots organisations for and by the Armenian-Australian community. We are solely dedicated to representing the wishes of the wider Armenian-Australian voice that is estimated to be at over 50,000.The ANC-AU is able to do this through the relationships developed with over 35 Armenian-Australian organisations with a collective membership of 7,000. The ANC-AU works in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Australia and affiliated organisations around the world.
Currently, the Sydney Armenian community numbers at over 60,000 people and has cultural centres, two day schools, six Saturday schools, a weekly newspaper and several churches. The Melbourne Armenian community, numbering upward of 10,00, has cultural centres, two Saturday language schools and a church.
Representation
ANC-AU directly represents the following 36 Armenian-Australian organisations with a collective membership of 5,500, as well as the wider Armenian-Australian community estimated at 50,000.Media
Armenia Media, Inc. (Willoughby)Garoon Monthly (Ryde)
Armenia Radio (Willoughby)
Cultural
Hamazkaine Cultural Society – Regional Committee (Willoughby)Hamazkaine Cultural Society – Arax Chapter (Melbourne)
Hamazkaine Cultural Society – Nairi Chapter (Ryde)
Hamazkaine Cultural Society – Sevan Chapter (Western Sydney)
Hamazkaine Cultural Society – Shant Chapter (Willoughby)
Hamazkaine Sassoun - Armenian Sydney Dance Company (Willoughby, Ryde, Western Sydney)
Hamazkaine Nairi Dance (Ryde)
Hamazkaine Noubar Khatchadourian Theatre Group
Educational
Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun College (Ingleside)Hamazkaine Arshak & Sophie Galstaun College Board of Trustees (Willoughby)
Hamazkaine Papazian School (Western Sydney)
Hamazkaine Tarkmanchats School (Willoughby)
Hamazkaine Toomanian School (Ryde)
Hamazkaine Mesrob Mashdots Madteossian School (Melbourne)
Karen Jeppe College Alumni Association (Willoughby)
PERTH SATURDAY SCHOOL??
Sporting
Homenetmen – Regional Committee (Willoughby)Homenetmen – Antranig Chapter (Willoughby)
Homenetmen – Ararat Chapter (Ryde)
Homenetmen – Arax Chapter (Melbourne)
Homenetmen – Navasart Chapter (Western Sydney)
Community Support and Welfare
Armenian Relief Society – Regional Committee (Willoughby)Armenian Relief Society – Arax Chapter (Western Sydney)
Armenian Relief Society – Nairi Chapter (Melbourne)
Armenian Relief Society – Sosseh Chapter (Willoughby)
Armenian Relief Society – Araz Chapter (Ryde)
Armenian Relief Society – Happy Kids Kindergarten (Lane Cove)
Relief Committee for Middle East Armenians (Willoughby)
Armenian Resource Centre (Macquarie Park)
Youth
Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (Willoughby, Western Sydney, Melbourne)Armenian Youth Federation Juniors (Willoughby, Western Sydney, Melbourne)
Community Centres
Armenian Cultural Centre (Willoughby)Ararat Scout Hall (Ryde)
Panoyan Centre (Western Sydney)
The Armenian Centre (Melbourne)
The Armenian-Australian community’s contribution to Australian life through channels such as the ANC-AU outweighs its size. The community and ANC-AU takes pride in the significant contributions that have been recorded in politics, business, academia, sports and culture.
Armenian Migration to Australia
The first Armenians migrated to Australia from Asia in the 1850s, during the gold rush and later from their homeland due to political upheaval and other tragic events such as the 1896 massacres, the 1915 Armenian Genocide and the Second World War. However, the majority came to Australia in the 1960s and 1970s, from the Middle-East starting with the Armenians of Egypt after Nasser came to power. Then, from Cyprus after the Turkish occupation of the island, later from Lebanon and Syria due to civil unrest and from Iran as a result of the country’s political upheaval.In the early 1990s, a small number migrated to Australia to escape the hardships in Armenia caused by the combination of the collapse of Soviet Union, the devastating Armenian earthquake of 1988 and the Azerbaijani aggression in the Republic of Artsakh.