This timeline shows important Historical and Contemporary events
at New Italy.
Select from the dates on the left for a brief description of
events.
1880
|
July 1880, New Italy settlers leave Barcelona
on the Marquis de Rays expedition to New Ireland. |
| 1881 |
Immigrants arrive in Sydney. Sir Henry Parkes
allows them to stay in the country. |
1882 |
Rocco Caminotti and Antonio Pezzutti visit
Swan Bay and select land on the South Woodburn, Chatsworth
Island coach route at the site now known as New Italy. |
| 1883
|
By the end of this year more than twenty families
from the de Rays expedition have taken up land in the New
Italy area. |
1884 |
The area is named New Italy after Mr Lang,
a member of the Woodburn School Board writes to the Inspector
of Education, on behalf of the immigrants, asking for a
school to be built. |
| |
The first School is opened. The first teacher
is a M. Jean Le Cheminant, a frenchman, fluent in Italian. |
1887 |
Antonio Nardi donates a portion of his land
at the junction of Forest and Mahogany Roads for the erection
of a church. |
|
|
Inspector General of Forests J.E.Brown with
Reginald Champ visits New Italy with the view to establishing
a silk industry. Later that year Champ returns to New Italy
to officially establish a silk industry. |
1891 |
The Henry Parkes led NSW Government falls
and a request to the incumbent government to purchase a
reeling machine, to assist with silk production, at the
settlement meets with no response. |
1892 |
The NSW Parliament votes against further sericulture
experimentation at New Italy. Despite this Mr Pezzuti and
Mr Martinuzzi built their own reeling machine, which was
praised by the Director of Agriculture F.S.Campbell when
he visited New Italy in November of this year |
1883 |
Production of silk declines at New Italy but
a sample of silk is sent to the NSW Government. A fire occurs
at New Italy. |
1894 |
Silk produced by Giacomo Piccoli at New Italy
wins a gold medal at the Great Chicago Exhibition. |
1899 |
Fred Chudleigh Clifford publishes a book on
"The Early Days of New Italy" in which
he praises New Italy as a model settlement |
| |
Mr Piccoli sends silk to the Government and
it is exhibited at the Great Paris Exhibition. Sir Earle
Beauchamp visited Woodburn and meets children from the New
Italy School, he also speaks to Mr Piccoli, who presented
him with some raw silk. |
1903 |
The New Italy Progress Association commences
meetings. |
1906 |
Mr Piccoli wins a medal for his silk at the
Great Milan Exposition. |
|
|
A new timber church is built on the site of
an earlier church, which was damaged in a hailstorm |
1909 |
A Ball is held at New Italy to raise money
for the Campbell Hospital at Coraki. |
1910 |
A Public Holiday is declared for the New Italy
School for a Sports Demonstration day and a gathering of
the Pioneers of the settlement. This event is reported in
the Sydney Mail |
1917 |
A major flood is experienced at New Italy |
| |
Giacomo Rosolen sells his sawmill on Bungawalbin
Creek, and this industry ceases at New Italy. |
| |
Jubilee celebrations to commemorate the fiftieth
anniversary of the arrival of the survivors of the Marquis
de Rays expedition in Australia are held at the New Italy
School. |
| |
New Italy school is closed as a State school.
It briefly becoming a subsidised school. |
| |
Giacomo Piccoli establishes a Park of Peace
on his property. |
1942 |
New Italy's sixtieth anniversary celebrations
are held at Giacomo Piccoli's property. |
1945 |
A cyclone blows St Peters Church off its stumps. |
| |
Floriano Volpato arrives in Lismore |
1955 |
Death of Mr Giacomo Piccoli, aged 87 years.
Reports that an old mud house at New Italy should be preserved. |
| |
A Monument to the Italian Pioneers of the
New Italy Settlement erected adjacent to the Pacific Highway. |
| |
Centenary Celebrations of New Italy are held
at the Lismore Showground, 8000 people are reported to attend
ABC TV produces a documentary on New Italy for its programme
A Big Country. |
1983 |
The New Italy Committee purchase part of Luigi
Antoniolli's farm at the intersection of the Pacific Highway
and the Swan-Bay/New Italy Road. |
1984 |
A new Park of Peace is opened at the New Italy
Museum Complex. The first stone laid by Italian Consul General,
Dr Alvise Memmo & Minister for Natural Resources, Mrs
Janice Crosio for the project of New Italy Museum Complex |
1989 |
Museum Restaurant and Mud brick house opened
by the Italian Consul General, Dr Guido Scalici. Officials
from the World Expo 1988 visit the Italian Pavilion and
Museum. Italian Government representatives include, Deputy
Commissioner, Dr Antonio D'Apice, Commissioners, Dr Luigi
Turchi and Dr Roberto Falaschi and Dr Manuela Ghiglia (representing
the Italian Consul General) |
1990
|
109th Anniversary of New Italy, Tree planting in the
Park of Peace by Valeria Mirisciotti (representing the Consul
General) |
1991 |
Monument to Father Miazzi unveiled in the
new Park of Peace by Fr Francesco Lovatin of Sydney, Fr
Lorenzo Scremin of Rome and Bishop of Lismore, Dr John Satterthwaite |
1992 |
Gurrigai Aboriginal Arts Centre opened at
the Museum complex by Bundjalung Elder Mrs Eileen Morgan.
Unveiling of the Monument to the Pioneers of New Italy by
Italian Consul General, Dr Fabio De Nardis |
| |
Opening of the Italian Pavilion by the Governor
General of Australia Mr Bill Hayden. |
1994 |
The former New Italy School and Residence
site is established as a Crown Reserve Trust for public
use. Delegation from Italy visit New Italy including, Bishop
of the Italian city Treviso, Monsignor Paolo Magnini, Fr
Camillo Toso and Bishop of Lismore, Dr John Satterthwaite |
1996 |
Opening of the Community Hall at the Museum
complex, with Italian artists from South Australia (Piccolo
Teatro Co.) featuring the play "Festa di Nozze"
aka "The Wedding Feast" |
1997 |
The New Italy Museum complex wins a "Cultural
Tourism Award for NSW". Presented by Minister for Tourism,
Mr Brian Langton and special guests, The Hon. Brian Pezzutti
(MLC), Alitalia Airlines CEO Mr Chris Hanks, Italian Consul
General, Dr Francesco Catania and the Italian Ambassador
to Australia, Dr Marcello Spatafora. Visit from the council
of Italian city Cassino. Guests include, Dr F. Petrocone
(mayor of Cassino) and Sil Gava (representing the mayor
of Casino, NSW) |
1998
|
Australia Day celebrations with Australia Day Ambassador,
Bernard King |
1999
|
118th Anniversary of New Italy. Italian Ambassador, Dr
Giovanni Castellanetta presented the medal "Cavaliere
della Repubblica Italiano" (conferred by the Italian
Government) to Dr Floriano Volpato. Guests include, Dr Francesco
Catania (Italian Consul General), The Hon. Brian Pezzutti
(MLC), Mayor of Lismore, Bob Gates, The Hon. Thomas George
(MLA), The Hon. Ian Causley (MP), Mayor of Richmond Valley
Council, Mr Col Sullivan and The Hon. Harry Woods (MP) |
2000 |
A special memorial mass and dedication of
the Italian Pavilion to the memory of Floriano Volpato is
held at the community hall. Australia Day celebrations with
Australia day ambassador, Mr Lex Marinos |
2001 |
Australia Day Celebrations are held at New Italy to
remember 120 years since the arrival of the immigrants,
and 100 years of Federation and thereby acknowledging the
role played by Sir Henry Parkes in the history of the New
Italy Settlement. |
| |
New Italy Museum Complex is listed with the
NSW Heritage office as an item of State Heritage Significance |
| |
Creation of the New Italy Interactive Museum Website |
2004 |
New Italy interactive website official launch on Descendants
day in April |
(Sources: Clifford, 1889; New Italy Museum Committee Files, 1985
- 2001; Northern StarNugent, pers. comm., 2002;
Marsh & Wise, 1881; Pryor, 1986; Richmond River Herald,
1931; Sydney Mail, 1910; The Sydney Morning Herald, 1881;
Thompson, 1980; Tinker, 1988; Volpato F., pers. comm.,
2001- 2002.).
