Macedonian Community

Macedonians are passionate about all things Macedonian. Our heritage, nationality, identity, culture, food, dancing and singing embraces our community and multiculturalism.

The Macedonian Community of W.A. (Inc) has its origins linked to the periods of emigration following World Wars I and II. The first Macedonian migrants came to Australia in the 1920’s after World War I. Initially these pioneers were “pecalbari” meaning fortune seekers who came to Australia to better themselves economically and to return to their families in Macedonia. These plans were soon changed with the beginning of World War II and the Civil War in Aegean Macedonia with most of these pioneering Macedonians seeking refuge in Australia. Once these wars had concluded the process of family reunions began and tens of thousands have since made Western Australia their new home and have made significant contributions to the economic, social, cultural and sporting fabric of Australia and Western Australia in particular.

The first formal Macedonian organization of “Edinstvo” or “Unity” was formed in 1941. Edinstvo served as a precursor to the Macedonian Australian Community of Perth , Western Australia which was formally registered in October 1964 and is now called the Macedonian Community of W.A. (Inc.).

By far the most significant influx of Macedonian migrants to Western Australia occurred from 1950 through till 1965 with the arrival of the “Deca Begalci from Aegean Macedonia” from 1955 till 1965, being the Macedonian Child Refugees who had fled the Civil War in Aegean Macedonia between 1946 and 1949 to adjacent eastern bloc countries like Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Rumania, Czechoslovakia and Russia.