Stone legacy
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The Old Macaroni Factory was built in 1859 by the Lucini brothers of Intra, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. swissinfo.ch -
The Old Macaroni Factory was the first place in Australia to produce pasta and is the oldest Italian building on the continent. swissinfo.ch -
The former factory is now a tourist attraction and a restaurant that serves dishes made from the recipes brought from Italy more than a century ago. swissinfo.ch -
Some rooms are decorated with 150-year-old frescoes. swissinfo.ch -
A fresco on a ceiling depicts one of Bellinzona's three castles. swissinfo.ch -
There are several stone houses in the countryside around Hepburn Springs that were built by Swiss and Italian stonemasons who emigrated to Australia in search of gold. swissinfo.ch -
In Australia, migrants found mainly sandstone, more soft than the granite of the Swiss Alps. swissinfo.ch -
The houses and huts of the settlers were eventually purchased by local families. In many cases they are derelict, but the law prohibits them from being torn down. swissinfo.ch -
The drystone walls the emigrants built have survived through the ages. swissinfo.ch -
The former home of a descendant of an immigrant from Bergamo obviously did not like to be disturbed. swissinfo.ch -
Parma villa was built in 1864 by Fabrizio Crippa, who had come to Australia ten years earlier from Monza. swissinfo.ch -
The villa is a listed heritage property. swissinfo.ch
A history of immigrant architecture in Australia.
This content was published on June 3, 2009
Swiss and Italian immigrants who settled in and around Hepburn Springs, Victoria have left a legacy in the stone buildings they constructed. (pictures and texts: Luigi Jorio, swissinfo.ch)
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