Croatian Australians are Australian citizens of Croatian ancestry. Croatia has been a source of

migrants Migrant may refer to: Human migration *Human migration *Emigration, leaving one's resident country with the intent to settle elsewhere *Immigration, movement into a country with the intent to settle * Economic migrant, someone who emigrates from o ...

to Australia, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2021, 200,000 persons resident in Australia (0.6%) identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry.

History

Croats were first noticeable in Australia during the gold rushes of the 1850s in the province of Victoria. At this time, Croats were coded as "Austrians" because most of Croatia was a part of the Habsburg Empire. By

Australian federation The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia (which also governed what is now the Northern Territory), and Western A ...

in 1901, there were many Croats—mainly from

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...

—in Australia, counted with Czechs, Hungarians, Serbs,

Slovaks The Slovaks ( sk, Slováci, singular: ''Slovák'', feminine: ''Slovenka'', plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry, culture, history and speak Slovak. In Slovakia, 4.4 mi ...

and others as "Austro-Hungarians". The establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes from Austria-Hungary after the First World War — renamed as Yugoslavia shortly afterwards —continued to make it difficult to separate out Croats from other ethnicities in Australia. Croats were not recorded separately until the 1996 Census. The Australian Department of Immigration believes many Croats holding old (and now long out of date) Yugoslav passports still record themselves as Yugoslavs in Australian censuses, over a decade after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. There is also a community of Croats who follow

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

, the descendants of those who converted after the 16th century, after the conquest of much of Croatia and

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...

by the

Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

. They established their Croatian Islamic Centre in Maidstone. with a

masjid A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, i ...

. Croatian Seventh-Day Adventists meet in

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman ro ...

and Springvale, while in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

they meet in

Dundas Dundas may refer to: Places Australia * Dundas, New South Wales * Dundas, Queensland, a locality in the Somerset Region * Dundas, Tasmania * Dundas, Western Australia * Fort Dundas, a settlement in the Northern Territory 1824–1828 * Shire of ...

. There are Croatian-speaking Catholic congregations throughout Melbourne,

, Adelaide,

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

and Perth. St Nikola Tavelic Church in Clifton Hill is an important religious centre for Croats in Melbourne. Nevertheless, it is known that Croats formed a large proportion of those Yugoslavs who settled in Australia the 1960s and 1970s under Australian Government migration schemes. The Yugoslavia-born population reached 129,616 by the 1971 Census and 160,479 by the 1991 Census. The greatest number settled in Sydney and Melbourne, though Croats are well represented in every Australian city and region. During the 1960s and 1970s, many Croatians were constantly under ASIO surveillance for alleged terrorist activities organised by the Yugoslav secret service, several of whom were named in the media. Some of the longest running and most expensive court cases in Australian history involved Croatians charged with terrorism-related charges that were proven falsified, including the '

Croatian Six The Croatian Six ( hr, Hrvatska šestorka, consisting of Max Bebić, Vic Brajković, Tony Zvirotić, Joe Kokotović, his brother Ilija Kokotović and Mile Nekić) were six Croatian-Australian men sentenced to 15 years jail in 1981 for a conspira ...

' who were convicted on tainted evidence. Federal Attorney-General Lionel Murphy created a media sensation when he led a raid on ASIO Headquarters looking for files on Croatian terrorist activities and not finding any at all, spurred on by claims of non-surveillance by ASIO and that ASIO focused too much of its time on student anti-war groups instead of terrorist groups, though there may have been no terrorist activities for ASIO to investigate. Croatian Embassy in Canberra

In November 1977, an unofficial Croatian embassy was opened in

, causing a legal and diplomatic difficulty for both the Australian and Yugoslav governments. The embassy, aimed at raising awareness of Croatia as a nation and the Croatian people separate from Yugoslavia, remained open for 2 years closing in 1979. Its ambassador Mario Despoja is the father of former Democrats leader

Natasha Stott Despoja Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja AO (born 9 September 1969) is an Australian politician, diplomat, advocate and author. She is the founding Chair of the Board of Our Watch, the national foundation to prevent violence against women and their childr ...

. Since the independence of Croatia in the 1990s, an official embassy has been opened in Canberra and consulates have been opened in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

Demographics

Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 1066 Croatian Total Responses

At the 2006 Census 50,993 persons resident in Australia identified themselves as having been born in Croatia, representing about 0.25% of the Australian population. Total count of persons: 19,855,288. The Census also noted 118,046 persons identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry, either alone or in combination with another ancestry. Total responses: 25,451,383 for total count of persons: 19,855,288. Croatian Australians are more likely to be resident in Victoria than any other state. As at 2006, 35.7% of Croats live in Victoria (where only 25% of the total Australian population reside Estimated resident population, preliminary – 30 June 2006 in '000s were NSW 6 817.2 Vic 5 128.3 Qld 4 091.5 SA 1 568.2 WA 2 059.0 Tas 489.9 NT 210.7 ACT 334.2 Australia 20 701.5). A further 36.2% of Croatian Australians reside in New South Wales (compared with 33% of the total Australian population). As the level of immigration from Croatia has dropped significantly from the 1980s (70% of Australian residents born in Croatia arrived before 1980 ), the Croatian-born population is ageing: 43% of the Croatian-born population was aged sixty years old or older at the time of the 2006 Census. As at the 2006 census 33,012 Croatian-born Australians (65%) speak Croatian at home; 17% of Croatian-born Australians speak English at home. Proficiency in English was self-described by census respondents as very well by 31%, well by 32%, 17% not well, 2.3% not at all (18% didn't state or said not applicable). In 2001, the

Croatian language Croatian (; ' ) is the standardized variety of the Serbo-Croatian pluricentric language used by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina, and other neighboring countries. It is the official ...

was spoken at home by 69,900 persons in Australia. Of the Australian residents who were born in Croatia, 48,271 or 95% were Australian citizens at the time of the 2006 census. According to 2006 census data released by the

Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the independent statutory agency of the Australian Government responsible for statistical collection and analysis and for giving evidence-based advice to federal, state and territory governments ...

, 94% of Croatian born Australians recorded their religion as Christian. 2001 census data released by the

in 2004, showed denominational affiliation by Croatian Australians was: 85.6% Catholic, 0.9%

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

, 4.5% Other Christian, 1.4% claiming other Religions, and 7.6% claiming no religious affiliation. According to the

2016 Census Sixteen or 16 may refer to: *16 (number), the natural number following 15 and preceding 17 *one of the years 16 BC, AD 16, 1916, 2016 Films * ''Pathinaaru'' or ''Sixteen'', a 2010 Tamil film * ''Sixteen'' (1943 film), a 1943 Argentine film dir ...

, a fast majority (73.1%) of the Croatia-born population was Catholic, followed by Eastern Orthodox (9.6%) and other Christian denominations (5.1%). Around 7% of the Croatia-born population had no religion. Croatian Australians have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Croatia. In December 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 1,000 Australian citizens resident in Croatia, mainly in Zagreb.

Croatian Australians and soccer

Croats in Australia and their Croatian Australian offspring are notable for their commitment to soccer, with numerous clubs established throughout the country, the most notable and successful being

Sydney Croatia Sydney United 58 Football Club is a semi-professional soccer club and current NSW NPL Champions based in Edensor Park, Sydney, New South Wales Australia. The club was formed as Sydney Croatia in 1958, by Croatian Australians in the area, but it ...

and

Melbourne Croatia Melbourne Knights Football Club is an Australian professional Association football, soccer club based in the suburb of Sunshine North, Victoria, Sunshine North, Melbourne. The club currently competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria, t ...

. These clubs nurtured the soccer talents of a large number of Croatian Australians, many of whom now play professionally overseas. Croatian Australians have played for both Croatia and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. In the

2006 World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host the ...

, there were seven Croatian Australians playing for Australia and three playing for Croatia. A total of 47 Croatian Australians have gone on to play for the Australian national soccer team, including 7 who captained the national team. The

Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament The Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament is a tournament run by the Croatian Soccer Federation of Australia and New Zealand, an organisation founded in 1974. The inspiration for the tournament came from the successful Croatian-North American So ...

is the oldest running soccer competition in Australia.

Croatian Australian Socceroos

Croatian Australian Matildas

Emily Gielnik Emily Gielnik (born 13 May 1992) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Aston Villa of the FA WSL. and the Australia women's national team. She previously played for Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory in her ...

Croatian Australians in Croatian national team

Anthony Šerić Anthony Šerić (; born 15 January 1979) is a Croatian Australian former footballer who played as a left-back. He was a part of the Croatia national team at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. Early life Šerić was born to a Croatian fam ...

* Josip Šimunić *

Joey Didulica Joseph Anthony Didulica (; born 14 October 1977) is a Croatian Australian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. On 11 October 2011 he ended his career after ongoing neck and head complaints. Club career Didulica was born in Geelong, Vic ...

List of notable Croatian Australians

Entertainment and the arts

* Steve Abbott - comedian, The Sandman, Russian/Croatian mother * Eric Bana – actor (Croatian father) *

Charles Billich Charles Billich is an artist living in Sydney, Australia. His painting subjects include Ballet and sport, architecture and town planning, eroticism and classicism, portraiture, and stage, as well as Humanitarian pieces and works of religious sig ...

– artist * Nathaniel Buzolic – actor * Branka Čubrilo – novelist – Croatian born, migrated to Australia 1992. *

Ante Dabro Ante Dabro (born 13 January 1938, Čavoglave, Croatia) is a Croatian-born Australian artist/sculptor and art teacher who has lived and worked in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory since the late 1960s. Dabro's sculptures are typified by ...

– sculptor * Natalie Franceska (nee Blažević) - children's author * Robert Jozinović – actor * Melita Jurisic - actress * Robert Luketić – film director * Tatjana Lukić – poetry editor and poet * Robyn Ravlich - poet * Ivan Sen – film director - Croatian father, Aboriginal mother * Marisa Siketa – actress *

Mark Strizic Mark Strizic (Croatian sp.: Strižić) was a 20th-century German-born Australian photographer, teacher of photography, and artist. Best known for his architectural and industrial photography, he was also a portraitist of significant Australian ...

- Photographer and painter. * Frances Vidakovic - author and blogger. *

Emma Viskic Emma Viskic is an Australian novelist and musician. Biography Viskic grew up near the Melbourne suburb of Frankston. Her father is from Dalmatia and her mother is Irish-Australian from Tasmania. Viskic won the Ned Kelly Award for Best Firs ...

- author - Croatian father, Irish Australian mother.

Music

* Alison Wonderland – electronic dance music producer, DJ and singer. * Russell Baricevic - bass guitar -

Bored In conventional usage, boredom, ennui, or tedium is an emotional and occasionally psychological state experienced when an individual is left without anything in particular to do, is listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occup ...

, Pray TV, The Gas Babies, Macho Clowns, Unclean Spirits * Peter "Blackie" Black – (Croatian mother) – musician, founding member of The

Hard-Ons The Hard-Ons are an Australian punk rock band, which formed in 1982 in Punchbowl, New South Wales. Its founding members were Keish de Silva on lead vocals and drums, Peter "Blackie" Black on guitar and backing vocals, and Ray Ahn on bass guit ...

. *

Philip Bračanin Philip Bračanin (born 26 May 1942) is an Australian composer and musicologist. Life Bračanin was born in Kalgoorlie, the son of Croatian immigrants. HIs early musical studies were with Miss Olive Ruane, and he graduated from the University of ...

– composer and musicologist. * Josipa neževićDraisma - comedian, singer, actor, writer and theatre maker. * Mikelangelo (Michael Simic) aka The Balkan Elvis - singer (solo, Johnny Presley and the Zagreb Allstars, Mikelangelo and the Tin Star). Father is Croatian from Tučepi, Croatia. * Steve Pavlovic – music entrepreneur * Roddy Radalj – musician, founding member of the

Hoodoo Gurus Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner (songwriter, lead singer and guitarist) and later joined by Richard Grossman (bass), Mark Kingsmill (drums), and Brad Shepherd (guitar, vocals, ha ...

, the

Dubrovniks The Dubrovniks were an Australian rock band which formed in August 1986 as The Adorable Ones. Early in 1987 they changed their name to The Dubrovniks in acknowledgement to the birthplace of two founding members, Roddy Radalj, and Boris Sujdovi ...

and Roddy Ray'Da & the Surfin' Caesars. * Rex Radonich (1950-1986) - Banjo player in Australian Bluegrass band Bullamakanka. Was regarded as the best at picker at the time. Grandson of Mate Radonic (born Podgora Croatia) of New Zealand. *

Natalie D-Napoleon Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon (born 3 August 1972), known professionally as Natalie D-Napoleon, is an Australian/American singer-songwriter, poet, and writer of creative non-fiction from Fremantle, Western Australia. Through fronting the Perth-ba ...

- (Croatian father and mother) - Australian singer-songwriter and poet. * Tony Slavich - keyboardist - Ariel, Sun, Mike Rudd and the Heaters, Mondo Rock, Goldrush, Ross Ryan band, Richard Clapton Band. * Adalita, born

Adalita Srsen Adalita Srsen (, born 25 February 1971) is an Australian rock musician who is a founding member of the rock band Magic Dirt and a solo artist. She released her first solo album, ''Adalita'' in 2011 and her second solo album, ''All Day Venus'', ...

, solo performer and member of Magic Dirt. Her father is Croatian. * Boris Sujdovic – (Croatian mother) – musician, founding member of The Scientists, the

, Beasts of Bourbon. * Simone Young - (Croatian mother) - Australian conductor

Academia

* David Andrich – academic * Luka Budak – author, Head of Croatian Studies, Macquarie University. * Val Colic-Peisker – associate professor, sociologist and author. * Vesna Drapac – Associate Professor of History at University of Adelaide, author ("Constructing Yugoslavia: A Transnational History" 2010). * Roman Krznaric – social philosopher, author ("

The Wonderbox ''The Wonderbox: Curious Histories of How to Live'' is a 2012 book by Roman Krznaric. It explores aspects of the human psyche, and makes the case for people to empathise more with each other. The book uses broad range of historical examples. Refe ...

: Curious histories of how to live" 2011, "How to Find Fulfilling Work (The School of Life)" 2013 , "How Should We Live?: Great Ideas from the Past for Everyday Life" 2015, "Empathy: Why It Matters, and How to Get It" 2015, "The First Beautiful Game: Stories of Obsession in Real Tennis" 2015, "Carpe Diem: Seizing the Day in a Distracted World" 2017) and founder of the

Empathy Museum Empathy Museum is a series of art installations, begun in 2015. Its purpose is to help visitors view the world through the perspectives of others, using participatory storytelling and dialogue. The project states it can help people approach glob ...

. * Ralph Pervan (1938–1980) – academic and author ("Tito and the students : the university and the university in self-managing Yugoslavia" 1978), namesake of the "Ralph Pervan scholarship", University Hall, Western Australia.

Science and medicine

* Tony Bacic - biologist *

Brice Bosnich Brice Michael Bosnich (3 June 1936 – 13 April 2015) was an Australian inorganic chemist. He gained recognition for the design of complex ligands useful in homogeneous catalysis. Education He graduated from University of Sydney with a Bachelo ...

- chemist * Stjepan Marcelja - physicist * Boris Martinac - biophysicist *

Ivan Marusic Ivan Marusic (born 1965) is an Australian engineer and physicist. He is known for his work on turbulence at high Reynolds number, using both theoretical and experimental approaches. Marusic was born to Croatian parents in Široki Brijeg in Bos ...

- physicist *

Vlado Perkovic Vlado Perkovic (born March 8, 1969) is an Australian renal physician and researcher who is the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. He is also a Honorary Fellow at the George Institute for Global Health A ...

– physician * Zed Rengel - environmental scientist *

Ralph Sarich Ralph Tony Sarich (born 10 December 1938 in Baskerville, Western Australia) is an Australian automotive engineer, inventor, and businessman who developed the orbital engine and the orbital combustion process engine. Sarich founded the Orbital E ...

– Inventor of the revolutionary Orbital Engine, and at one stage, in the 1970s, Australia's richest person. *

Frances Separovic Frances Separovic (born 1954) is a biophysical chemist, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne, where she taught physical chemistry and trained graduate students in her field. She is credited with develop ...

- biophysical chemist *

Hrvoje Tkalčić Hrvoje Tkalčić (born 3 February 1970) is Australian and Croatian scientist ( geophysicist) and Professor at the Australian National University in Canberra.

- geophysicist

Business and work

* Jim Bosnjak – former owner of Westbus, the biggest bus company in Australia *

Katarina Carroll Katarina Ruzh Carroll (nee Bošnjak) (born 17 November 1963) is an Australian police officer and the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service since July 2019. She is the first female commissioner of QPS. She was formerly the Commissioner ...

(nee Bošnjak) – first female Police Commissioner, for the State of Queensland. Her parents are from Ljubuški, Bosnia and Herzegovina. * Tony Cobanov, owner Windy creek Estate Wines (formerly Cobanov Wines), Swan Valley, Western Australia whose grandfather, Ante Cobanov, came to Australia in 1924 and commenced the winery in 1937. * Trojano Darveniza (1838-1937). Winemaker / Vintner. Born in Dalmatia. Founder and owner of Excelsior Vineyards in Victoria. * Kirk, Adam, and Tony Dundo, owners Katgully Winery, Swan Valley, Western Australia, whose grandfather came from Blato and Cara on the island of Korcula. * Juli Grbac, fashion designer who was the first winner of Project Runway Australia. * Tony Šantić – Millionaire tuna fisherman, horse breeder and owner of Makybe Diva * Tony and Ron Perich – brothers, property development, on Forbes Australia's 20 Richest people 2019. * Zeljko Ranogajec – businessman and professional gambler. * John Setka - Australian Trade Union leader

Media

Charmaine Dragun Charmaine Margaret Dragun (; 21 March 19782 November 2007) was an Australian broadcast journalist and presenter. She was a co-anchor on ''Ten Eyewitness News''. Dragun, who had been diagnosed with depression and had a history of anorexia, died ...

– journalist *

Laura Dundovic Laura Dundovic (born 16 September 1987 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Australia 2008 and represented Australia in the Miss Universe 2008 competition, in which she place ...

– Top 10 finalist of Miss Universe 2008 * Tom Dusevic – journalist, author ("Whole Wild World", 2016) *

friendlyjordies Jordan Shanks-Markovina (born 18 August 1989), known online as Friendlyjordies, is an Australian political commentator, journalist, stand-up comedian and YouTuber. His content often discusses contemporary Australian political issues, involving ...

- Jordan Shanks-Markovina; independent journalist, YouTuber, stand-up comedian and former model (Scottish father, Croatian mother) *

George Grljusich George Ned Grljusich (15 January 1939 – 6 November 2007) was an Australian sports journalist, commentator and former Australian rules footballer. Born in Wiluna, Western Australia, he played 12 games of football for the South Fremantle Foot ...

– sports journalist * Sarah Harris – journalist * Andrew O'Keefe – TV personality (Croatian mother) * Amos Gill – Comedian, Radio and TV Presenter *

Silvio Rivier Silvio Rivier is a presenter on Australian television channel SBS who hosted the Global Village (TV series) for its entire run from 1998 to 2015. Career Rivier began working at SBS in 1980 Mick Nanovich Michael Nanovich (18 June 1931 – 20 December 2005) was an Australian politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1974 to 1983, representing the seats of Toodyay and Whitford. Nanovich was ...

- politician (Liberal Party), Western Australia *

Tony Krsticevic Antonio (Tony) Krsticevic (born 13 June 1966) is an Australian politician, who served as the member for Carine in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from the 2008 election to the 2021 election. He is a member of the Liberal Party. ...

– politician (Liberal Party), Western Australia * John Newman – Born John Naumenko, politician (Labor Party) NSW. *

Jaye Radisich Jaye Amber Radisich (29 March 1976 – 17 March 2012) was an Australian politician. She was a Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2008, representing the electorate of Swan Hills. Radisich was the ...

– politician (Labor Party), Western Australia * Ljiljanna Ravlich – politician (Labor Party), Western Australia * Zed Seselja – politician, senator (Liberal Party), ACT *

– federal politician, senator (Australian Democrats) - South Australia * Zorana Balaban - lawyer (Websters lawyers), South Australia

Other

* Mate Alac - (Born

Drašnice Drašnice is a tourist locality in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, located between Makarska and Ploče. The population is 339 (2011). The village lies at the base of the Biokovo mountain, at the ''Jadranska magistrala'', and across the strait is the ...

, Croatia 1908 - 1997)- Miner (in Western Australia) and author of memoir "Into The World" (1992). * Vincent Abbott – gold hunter, pioneer of the Murchison Goldfields and who had the town of

Abbotts, Western Australia Abbotts is an abandoned town in Western Australia located in the Murchison Goldfields region of Western Australia and north-west of Meekatharra on the MeekatharraMount Clere Road. The townsite was initially established in 1898 and gazetted ...

named after him. He was born Vincent Vranjican in the town of Starigrad, Island of Hvar, Dalmatia, Croatia. * Matthew Beovich - Roman Catholic priest, Archbishop of Adelaide. *

Blaž Kraljević Blaž Nikola Kraljević (19 September 1947 – 9 August 1992) was a Bosnian Croat paramilitary leader who commanded the Croatian Defence Forces (HOS) during the Bosnian War. An immigrant to Australia, Kraljević joined the Croatian Revolutionary ...

– Croatian and Bosnian general * Ivan Milat – notorious serial killer (Croatian father) *

Vincent Serventy Vincent Noel Serventy AM (6 January 1916 – 8 September 2007) was an Australian author, ornithologist and conservationist. Life and career Born in Armadale, Western Australia, the youngest of eight children of migrant Croatian parents ...

– a noted Australian author, ornithologist and conservationist. *

Tom Starcevich Leslie Thomas Starcevich, VC (5 September 1918 – 17 November 1989) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of British and Commonwealth ...

– World War 2 Victoria Cross recipient * Frank Vitkovic - perpetrator of the

Queen Street Massacre The Queen Street massacre was a mass shooting which occurred on 8 December 1987 at Australia Post offices on 191 Queen Street in Melbourne, Victoria. University dropout Frank Vitkovic entered the building on the pretext of visiting a friend ...

, half-Croat through his father

Sport

* Jason Akermanis - His father, Denis Dezdjek, is Croatian. *

Noah Balta Noah Balta (born 23 October 1999) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Richmond with the 25th pick in the 2017 AFL national draft and ...

- Australian rules footballer * Alex Banovich – rowing *

Adrian Barich Adrian Williams Barich (born 5 December 1963) is a sports presenter for television and radio, and a former Australian rules footballer for the West Coast Eagles and Perth Demons and rugby league player. Early life Barich grew up in Canberra, ...

– Australian rules and rugby league footballer *

Andrew Barisic Andrew Barisic ( hr, Andrew Barisić; ; born 22 March 1986 in Canberra, ACT) is an Australian footballer who currently plays for Albury Wodonga Football Association side Wangaratta City. Club career Born in Canberra, Barisic began his care ...

– football (soccer) player,

Kingfisher East Bengal East Bengal Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal (), is an Indian professional multi-sport club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is best known for its professional men's football team that competes in the Indian Super League, the top fl ...

* Andrew Bogut – basketball player,

Sydney Kings The Sydney Kings are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the ...

; formerly with several NBA teams * Tiana Boras - Track and field * Mark Bosnich – former football (soccer) player,

, now soccer TV analyst *

Mark Bresciano Mark Bresciano ( ; ; born 11 February 1980) is an Australian former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. Born in Melbourne, Bresciano played youth football for Bulleen Lions, before moving into the National Soccer League with ...

– football (soccer) player, Al Nasr and

(Croatian mother) *

Ante Čović Ante Covic (born 13 June 1975) is an Australian former soccer goalkeeper. Covic is a member of the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and represented Australia on two occasions. Personal life Covic is of Croatian h ...

– footballer (soccer) player,

Elfsborg Idrottsföreningen Elfsborg, more commonly known as IF Elfsborg or simply Elfsborg (), is a professional football club based in Borås, Sweden, and is affiliated to the Västergötlands Fotbollförbund. They play in the Allsvenskan and have spe ...

and

Jason Čulina Jason Culina (born 5 August 1980) is a former Australian soccer player and coach. Club career Culina began his career with Sydney United under his father, Branko Culina, before moving to Ajax, where he struggled in the reserves. Only after ...

- football (soccer) player,

Gold Coast United Gold Coast United Football Club is an Australian soccer club based in Gold Coast, Queensland. The earliest incarnation of the club formed in 1966 and its home ground was at Nikiforides Family Park in Broadbeach. The first era of Gold Coast Unit ...

and

Alan Didak Alan Didak (born 15 February 1983) is a former professional Australian rules footballer of Croatian descent who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League. Didak was a fan favourite and legend of the club, known ...

– Australian rules footballer *

– former Croatian footballer *

Bronko Djura Bronko Djura (born 10 October 1964) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played for South Sydney, St. George and Western Suburbs in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition. Backgr ...

- former rugby league footballer and cricketer *

Jelena Dokic Jelena Dokic ( sr, Јелена Докић, Jelena Dokić; ; born 12 April 1983) is an Australian tennis coach, commentator, writer, and former professional tennis player. Her highest ranking as a tennis player was world No. 4, in August 2002. ...

– tennis player (Croatian mother) *

John Dorotich Jonathan Michael Dorotich (born 27 April 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and for the South Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football Le ...

– Australian rules footballer *

Anthony Drmic Anthony Drmic (born 25 February 1992) is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Boise State Broncos and is their second a ...

– basketball player, Adelaide 36ers *

Frank Drmic Frank Drmic (born 7 February 1978) is an Australian professional basketball player. Playing career Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Drmic held an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship 1994–1995. His career began in the Australian National ...

– basketball player, last played for South Dragons *

Mate Dugandzic Mate Dugandzic ( hr, Mate Dugandžić; born 22 October 1989) is a retired Australian football player. He is known for being the first player to make a direct switch between both Melbourne clubs in the A-League when he moved from Melbourne Vict ...

– football (soccer) player, Adelaide United FC *

Ray Gabelich Raymond Thomas Gabelich (3 July 1933 – 18 July 2000) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Family The son of John (1902–1988) and Elizabeth Nina "Bessie" Gabelich, n� ...

– Australian rules footballer *

Eugene Galekovic Eugen Josip Galekovic ( ; hr, Eugen Josip Galeković, ; born 12 June 1981) is an Australian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is the current goalkeeper coach for Adelaide United. Biography Club career Galekovic's j ...

– football (soccer) player and Socceroo * Darren Gaspar – Australian rules footballer *

John Gerovich John Gerovich (born John Mateo Gerecivich, 23 June 1938) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Fremantle in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL - now WAFL) during the 1950s and 1960s. Playing career ...

– Australian rules footballer *

Antony Golec Antony Paul Golec (; born 29 May 1990) is an Australian former professional footballer who played as a centre back. Golec is now a real estate agent after his retirement from professional football. Club career Sydney FC Golec was a member of ...

– football (soccer) player, Central Coast Mariners, formerly

Sydney FC Sydney Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Sydney, New South Wales. It competes in the country's premier men's competition, A-League Men, under licence from Australian Professional Leagues (APL). The club was fo ...

, Sydney United and Adelaide United * Brent Grgić – Australian rules footballer * Ivan Henjak – former Rugby league footballer and coach *

Matt Henjak Matt Henjak (born 25 November 1981) is an Australian former professional rugby union player. He played scrum-half for the Australian national team. Henjak, of Croatian ancestry, is the nephew of former rugby league half-back and former Brisban ...

– Rugby union player, Toulon and formerly

(nephew of Ivan) * Allen Jakovich – Australian rules footballer * Glen Jakovich – Australian rules footballer *

Vedran Janjetović Vedran Janjetović (; born 20 August 1987) is a Croatian-born Australian football player. Club career Janjetović started his career in the youth ranks at NSWPL club Sydney United before being spotted by Sydney FC and was signed to their Yout ...

– football (soccer) player * Mile Jedinak – footballer (soccer),

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...

and

. * Wayne Johnston – Australian rules footballer * Tomi Jurić – footballer (soccer) and Socceroo * Željko Kalac- former football (soccer) player, Kavala and

, now soccer TV analyst *

Anthony Kalik Anthony Kalik (born 5 November 1997) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Hajduk Split. Born in Sydney, Kalik played youth football at Manly United FC and was then offered a 2 year scholarship at the Australia ...

– footballer * Simon Katich – Australian Cricket representative *

Max Krilich Max Krilich (born 25 October 1950 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a hooker for the Australia national team, playing in thirteen Tests from 1978 to 1983 and a ...

– Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s *

Anthony Leban Anthony Leban, is an Australian professional footballer who recently plays as a midfielder for Melbourne Victory. He made his professional debut in a FFA Cup playoff match against Perth Glory on 24 November 2021. Leban scored a penalty in the 96t ...

- Australian footballer *

Dean Lukin Dinko "Dean" Lukin, OAM (born 26 May 1960) is a retired weightlifter from Australia. Lukin won the gold medal in the Super Heavyweight category at the 1984 Summer Olympics, held in Los Angeles. He carried the Australian flag during the closin ...

– Olympic weight lifting gold medallist *

Ivan Maric Ivan Maric ( hr, Ivan Marić, ; born 4 January 1986) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club and the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was Richmond's ...

– Australian rules footballer * Marinko Matosevic – Tennis player *

Nicola McDermott Nicola Lauren Olyslagers (née McDermott) (born 28 December 1996) is an Australian high jumper. She won the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the bronze medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in the high jump. Olyslagers is ...

– Australian high jumper *

Brody Mihocek Brody Mihocek (born 4 February 1993) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was selected at pick #22 in the 2018 rookie draft. He made his senior debut against ...

- Australian rules footballer * Jack Mihocek - Australian rules footballer *

Ante Milicic Ante Milicic ( ; hr, Ante Miličić ; (born 4 April 1974) is an Australian soccer manager and former professional player. Personal life The son of Croatian immigrants, Milicic grew up in Strathfield, a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney. Mili ...

– former football (soccer) player,

Rijeka Rijeka ( , , ; also known as Fiume hu, Fiume, it, Fiume ; local Chakavian: ''Reka''; german: Sankt Veit am Flaum; sl, Reka) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located in Primor ...

and

Tomislav Mrčela Tomislav Mrčela (; born 1 October 1990) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Western Sydney Wanderers. Club career Mrcela left Australia at a young age and joined the youth academy of Dalmatian side RNK Split. ...

– Australian footballer,

NK Lokomotiva Nogometni klub Lokomotiva Zagreb ( en, Lokomotiva Zagreb Football Club), commonly known as Lokomotiva Zagreb or simply Lokomotiva, is a Croatian professional association football, football club based in Zagreb. It competes in the Croatian First ...

and

* Len Pascoe – Australian Cricket representative * Matthew Pavlich – Australian rules footballer * Anthony Perosh – mixed martial arts fighter *

Val Perovic Vladimir "Val" Perovic ( hr, Perović; born 25 September 1953) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda and Carlton in the VFL. Born in Croatia (at the time part of Yugoslavia), Perovic emigrated to Ballarat in Austral ...

– Australian rules footballer * Tony Popović – former football (soccer) player and current manager * Jack Rocchi – Australian rules footballer * Ivan Rukavina - boxing * Steven Salopek – Australian rules footballer * Tony Sekulić - former football (soccer) player *

– football (soccer) player,

Hajduk Split Hrvatski nogometni klub Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split () or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian professional football club based in Split, that competes in the Croatian First League, the top tier in Croatian football. Since 1979, t ...

and Croatia * Josip Šimunić – former football (soccer) player, Hoffenheim and Croatia * Elvis Sinosic – mixed martial arts fighter * Josip Skoko – former football (soccer) player,

and

Ivan Soldo Ivan Soldo (born 14 April 1996) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is the cousin of former Richmond ruck Ivan Maric. Soldo set the AFL record for m ...

- Australian rules footballer *

Craig Starcevich Craig Starcevich (born 16 May 1967) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL. He is the only person in Australian rules football history to win both an AFL and an AFL Women’s premiership, having won the latter as co ...

– Australian rules footballer *

Peter Sumich Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

– Australian rules footballer *

Erik Surjan Erik Surjan (born 22 June 1983, in Western Australia) is an Australian former track and field athlete who competed in the decathlon. In his earlier career, Erik was a talented long jumper, winning four national junior long jump titles between 19 ...

– decathlete *

Jacob Surjan Jacob Adam Surjan (born 15 August 1985) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He currently serves as the senior coach at the North Adelaid ...

– Australian rules footballer * Ajla Tomljanović - tennis player * Bernard Tomić – tennis player *

Steven Ugarković Steven Ugarkovic (born 19 August 1994) is an Australian Association football, soccer player who plays as a Midfielder (association football), defensive midfielder for A-League club Melbourne City FC, Melbourne City. Career Osijek Ugarkovic star ...

– football player * Mark Viduka – former football (soccer) player for numerous club teams and

Dennis Yagmich Dennis Brian Yagmich (born 23 August 1948) is a former Australian cricketer. Yagmich played in 24 first-class cricket, first-class matches in a career spanning 1972/73 and 1976/77. As a right hand batsman and wicket-keeper he also played in ...

– cricket * David Zdrilić – football (soccer) player, now soccer TV analyst * Ned Zelić – former football (soccer) player for numerous club teams and

, now soccer TV analyst

References

External links

* http://www.cronet.com.au/ – Australian Croatian community portal * (Croatians in Sydney) * https://www.taliwine.com.au/aboutus * https://katgully.com.au/about-us/ * https://www.windycreekestate.com.au/about-us.html * https://www.swanvalley.com.au/Business-Directory/John-Kosovich-Wines {{Croatian diaspora Australian European Australian Immigration to Australia

History

Demographics

Croatian Australians and soccer

Croatian Australian Socceroos

Croatian Australian Matildas

Croatian Australians in Croatian national team

List of notable Croatian Australians

Entertainment and the arts

Music

Academia

Science and medicine

Business and work

Media

Other

Sport

See also

References

Further reading

External links