Visual Legacy: Italian Australian Elders is a photographic book chronicling the story of the Italian community through 50 images and testimonials of those who came to Australia following World War II.

It was published by CO.AS.IT. in 2018, as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, which were formally marked with a grand ceremony held at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, with more than 600 people in attendance.

In continual celebration of CO.AS.IT.’s multifunctional role in welfare, culture and education for the Italian community in Australia, this exhibition will capture the invisible and often unknown figures in the Italian diaspora who worked their way up from the factory floors to leading positions in modern society.

Totaro said the photo-series intentionally avoids capturing “the famous and the rich”.

Instead, he wanted to capture the image of the ordinary Italo-Australian experience which is characterised by “resilience from the very start of our arrival in this country”.

“Paolo is an incredibly talented and respected member of the community,” General Manager of CO.AS.IT., Thomas Camporeale, said.

“We were so moved when he approached us to gift visual legacy to CO.AS.IT. as part of the celebrations for our 50th anniversary.

“The project represents the struggles and successes of our community and is a tribute to the first Italian migrants - the ‘elders’.

“Some of the faces captured in the exhibition may be familiar to the community but most are not.

“What they all have in common is the story of migration and exceptional contribution.” 

The exhibition is a part of Inner West Council’s 2019 Heritage Festival, which explores the rich history of the Inner West and highlights the people who have shaped our vibrant neighbourhood, including Ludwig Leichhardt, after whom the Little Italy of Leichhardt has been named. 

Ludwig Leichhardt is synonymous with Australian exploration but he also passionately recorded natural history, including in the area of botany, which people can view in an exhibition or hear three experts talk about his life and legacy in a history talk.

The festival also includes a Haberfield Celebrations of Garden Walk, showcasing a selection of award-winning gardens from the 2019 Haberfield Celebration of Gardens Competition, which traditionally features many gardens planted and cared for by Italo-Australians.

Other events on the program include tours of historical venues such as Trinity Grammar and Newington College.

The festival is a rare opportunity for residents in the area.

The 2019 festival, presented by Council under the auspices of the National Trust, has the theme ‘Connecting People, Places and the Past’.

Visual Legacy: Italian Australian Elders will take place on Wednesday, May 1, at Leichhardt Library Piazza Level, 23 Norton St, Leichhardt, from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm.

Register online or visit the Inner West Council website for more information on the 2019 Heritage Festival.