Hello

Thank you for visiting my webpage about the history and the achievements of the Greek Community in the tropical north of Australia, in the Northern Territory.  

I was born in 1957 in Argostoli, in the island of Kefallonia . My parents' origin is from mainland Greece, from a small village in the Epirus region of Mastorohoria (the master builders region), in Pyrsogianni  I grew up in one of the northern suburb of Athens, in Petroupolis, but in my early years I spent most of my holidays with my grandparents in Ioannina . I have great memories of my childhood years and the time I spent with my grandparents Spyro and Maria Nitsos (my maternal grandparents) and Aglaia Vatskalis (my paternal grandmother, my grand dad Michael had died in 1943).

In 1983 migrated to Australia where I settled in Perth, Western Australia (beaut place).  I studied at the Western Australian Institute of Technology  (now named Curtin University) and in 1985 I graduated  with a Bacher Degree in Environmental Health. Soon afterwards I commenced employment with a Local Government authority, the City of Wanneroo, as a Health Surveyor.I was married to Margaret in 1989 and soon afterwards , on St Nicholas day - 6th December- Alexander Philip Ivor entered this world.

We moved to Port Hedland in 1990 , if you do not know where PH is look north about 2000 kms from Perth (and the page about pealrs), population 13,000 (4-5 Greek families only), largest export port in Australia in tonnage, exporting iron ore that comes from Newman (500 km inland). In Port Hedland I visited many Greek ships that came there to load iron ore. Alexander loved visiting the Greek ships, all the Greek sailors who had not seen their own children for ages loved Alexander. I always remember their surprised faces when I spoke to them in Greek "Καλημέρα παιδιά",  their response? A Greek, Here at the end of the world? How come?

We had great time in Port Hedland, I worked for the Town Council as the Principal Environmental Health Officer and Margaret worked as a Science Teacher at the South Hedland Senior High School. We made lots of friends and we 4 wheel drived in the gorges and national parks near PH. You have to see them to beleive it.

In 1992 I got my Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science form Murdoch Univsity. In January 1993 we left PH (the temeprature that day was >47 degrees Celcius, hooooot!) and arrived in Darwin (to work with the Health Department). Beautiful Darwin!!! It even has trees. According to Alexander (3 years old by that time) there was "shower from the sky" - he had not seen any rain before!!!

In 1994 Michael Lwellyn Konstantine joint us. Margaret and I, always industrius continued studying and now Margaret has a Post Grad Degree in Health Ed and I am still working towards a Master of Public Health .

In 2001 I decided to stand as a candidate for the Australian Labor Party in Casuarina and in the August 2001 election my party was elected in government. Later that month I was elected by my fellow Labor Party Parliamentarians as a Minister with the portfolios of Infrastructure, Transport and Planning. I am now the Minister for Mines and Energy, Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries and Minister for Ethnic Affairs. I would not be able to cope with the work load and the pressures of the political life if it was not for the continuous support from my wife Margaret and the 2 boys (who do not see their father very much these days). Thank you all for your love and support!  

We live in Nightcliff and enjoy the weather of Darwin , occasional walks at the seaside and the famous Darwin hospitality. If you have never been to Darwin you do not know what you are missing. Come along and join us. You can e-mail us first like many other Greeks from all over the world.