Woodside meeting 1949

Lithuanian communities in Australia 1953
ALB Apylinkių ir seniūnijų vadovybėms

Seniunija (Elderate) small community that were founded but did not have sufficient numbers to elect executive committees.  Each elderate had an elected alderman or elder who would coordinate cultural activities and be the liaison with the Australian Lithuanian Community Federal Executive.

The larger groups called apylinkė (community) would elect its own committee to manage the local community affairs. Each committee was directly accountable to the Federal Council (Krašto Taryba).

Adelaide Apylinkės Valdyba      SA
Bankstown Apylinkės Valdyba   NSW
Bonegilla Apylinkės Valdyba     NSW
Brisbane Apylinkės Valdyba      QLD
Canberra Apylinkės Valdyba     ACT
Cabramatta Apylinkės Valdyba  NSW
Geelong Apylinkės Valdyba       VIC
Hobart Apylinkės Valdyba         TAS
Launceston Apylinkės Valdyba   TAS
Melbourne Apylinkės Valdyba   VIC
Newcastle Apylinkės Valdyba    NSW
Perth Apylinkės Valdyba           WA
Sydney Apylinkės Valdyba         NSW
Beechworth Seniūnija              VIC
Benalla Seniūnija                    VIC
Radium Hill Seniunija              SA
Mornington Seniūnija               VIC
Mount Gambier Seniūnija         SA
Wentworth Seniūnija               NSW
Sale Seniūnija                         VIC
Cowra Seniūnija                      NSW
Merriden Seniūnija                  WA
Wagga Wagga Seniūnija           NSW
Cooma Seniūnija                     NSW
Snowy Mountain Seniūnija       NSW
Albury Seniūnija                     NSW
Goulbourn Seniūnija               NSW
Lobethal Seniūnija                 SA
Woolongong Seniūnija            NSW

NSW      14
VIC        6
SA          4
TAS        2
QLD       1
WA        1
ACT       1

Six years after the first post WWII Lithuanians arrived in Australia there were 29 communities.  South Australia had 4, one large community (Adelaide) and three small ones in Lobethal/ Woodside, Mt Gambier and Radium Hill.  Radium Hill and Lobethal existed for only a short time, Lithuanians lived in those places to fulfil their two year contract and then most moved on to larger towns.  Radium Hill existed from 1953 to early 1960’s, Mt Gambier never formally established an elderate, but was most active in the early 1960’s. 

Lobethal/Woodside held a meeting on 15 August 1949 regarding the establishment of Australian Lithuanian Chapter. Thirty-six Lithuanians signed the attendance sheet and the meeting discussed established a folk dancing group so their children could learn.  They had only been in Australia a short time, many didn't speak the language, didn't know the culture, didn't know where they would work or live, and their thoughts were on retaining the culture of Lithuania.  I find that amazing.