Ahead of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Ukrainian Women's Association Australia being held in Cowra, the September meeting of Cowra Evening CWA had a focus on Ukraine and its people.
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The Ukrainian Women's Association Australia was established by women while living in the Cowra Migrant Camp.
Two guests, Leshia Bubniuk and Oksana Wainwright were welcomed by President Ann Apthorpe.
First speaker was member Sonia Groen who spoke about her first year in Australia.
Sonia was born to Ukrainian parents while they were living in a displaced person's camp in Europe at the end of World War II.
With her parents, she travelled to Naples, where the family boarded the ship "Fairsea" in August 1949 for the journey to Australia.
A number of Ukrainians came to Australia at the time, while others went to Chile, Argentina and USA.
Upon arrival the family then travelled by train to the Greta Migrant Camp in the Hunter Valley, where they spent about six months, before moving to the Newcastle suburb of Mayfield.
Sonia's brother was born at the Greta Migrant Camp, one of an average 50 babies born per month in the camp.
Their father worked at Newcastle's BHP Steel Works. Using a powerpoint of photos, Sonia described the people, food and living conditions in the camp, which eventually closed in 1969.
Leshia Bubniuk then gave an account of her Ukrainian parent's arrival in Australia.
Both her mother and father were treated badly during WWII, with her father being taken a prisoner of war in Germany and her mother being forced into slave labour.
They had married in 1947 while living in a displaced person's camp. Upon arrival in Australia, they travelled to Bathurst by train where they spent time in the transit camp.
Leshia's father had sold the family doona after being told Australia was a hot country - a big mistake when arriving in Bathurst in winter.
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They later moved to Cabramatta in Sydney where Leshia's father worked at the Water Board.
Two interesting aspects that Leisha spoke about were the three days of celebrations involved in a christening and her love of performing poetry, songs and dances from an early age, including performing at the opening of Sydney's Opera House.
Leisha finished by describing Ukraine today - a country of 44 million people, being the largest country located wholly in Europe and the 5th largest exporter of wheat in the world.
Leisha said that Australia as a tolerant country gave the Ukrainian refugees safety, security and opportunity.
