The Polish Association in WA is the oldest Polish organisation in Western Australia.

The Association  was created in 1950 when a large group of Polish people, from all over the world, came to Western Australia after years of post-war wandering.

Regardless of where they came from, the element that united them all was longing for Poland. They still felt the need to preserve the Polish language, Polish customs, culture and traditions.

As early as 9 March 1950 the most energetic Polish community activists created a committee in Northam. The committee commenced its work on behalf of Poles now dispersed in at least 10 locations in Western Australia, and so the name was formed –    The Polish Association in Western Australia.

 

On 20 April 1950 the first Annual General Meeting of the Association was held.

The first constitution of the Association was presented and accepted at the general meeting on 26 November 1950. This formed the basis of incorporation of the Association many years later, on 8 August 1964.

 

The main aim of the Association was to maintain Polish language, culture and traditions, and to maintain close links with local and federal authorities both Polish and Australian. After Poland gained its independence maintaining close relations with Polish authorities both in Australia and in Poland.

 

The Polish Association was the initiator of the celebrations of national holidays on May 3 and November 11, and dealt with the preparation of the choir, dance group and school children for performances on international concert stages.

The Polish Association in WA also  hosted many world-famous personalities, such as: Henryk Scherring (violinist), Artur Rubinstein(pianist), professor Jerzy Zubrzycki, Andrzej Chciuk (writer), Mieczysław Fogg (singer), Premier Urbański (Polish President in Exile), Zygmunt Szadkowski  (President of the World Federation of Polish Ex-Servicemen), .Szczepan Wesoly (Polish Archbishop), Wladyslaw Rubin (Polish Archbishop), Józef Gawlina (Polish Archbishop), Stefan Soboniewski (president of the board of SPK in Great Britain), Artur Rynkiewicz (activist of the Polish émigré community in London), dance ensemble Mazowsze from Poland, and many others.

 

During martial law in Poland, on the initiative of The Polish Association in WA, the ”Help Poland Live” committee was established to raise money to help Poland. The president and vicepresident of the union occupied a leading position on the state committee of which various important Perth personalities were members. In Western Australia $50,000 was raised to help Poland.

 

Many Polish groups were established under the auspices of Polish Association in WA, such as theaters, dance and music groups, choirs, Polish schools and the Polish library, aimed at cultivating Polish traditions, culture and preserving the Polish language. It was especially important for the young generation concentrated in the Polish environment. In 1969, under the patronage of The Polish Association in WA, The Polish Women’s Association was established, which is still very active today. Over time, this group became independent and was registered as independent organization. The Polish Ethnic School im Adama Mickiewicza was established and worked under the patronage of the Polish Association till 1986  when it became an independent organisation and was incorporated in 1986.

 

In the second half of the 1980s, young people from the organisation so-called ”Young Polonia” joined The Polish Association in WA and its leaders hoped that it would rejuvenate and revive the association. Unfortunately, these young lacked the necessary experience in community work. They undertook many initiatives but they never came to fruition because there were no executors to carry out any undertakings selflessly. In order to save The Polish Association, its leaders again took over the leadership of the organization.

 

As early as 1951 Polish people, after finishing their 2 years contract, mainly working in the country on railways, water supply and main roads departments, started settling in Perth where they found work in factories, hotels, hospitals and in construction. Though their wages were not high, they made donations to The Polish Association for purchase a property for Polish community headquarters.

The collection of donations also happened at the Polish Independence Day Concert in November 1951. The Polish Association has collected 684 pounds and it became a basis of a fund to purchase a property.

 

In 1953 Poles purchased a property in Perth at 189 Brisbane Street, at a cost of 3,250 pounds. After renovations it suited our needs to hold Polish language classes for children, choir practices, dance group, theatre group, library and general meeting rooms. This was a place to hold many social evenings, discos, etc. The guarantor for the mortgage was the late archbishop of Perth Dr Prendiville, who was later made an honorary member of the Association. This mortgage was paid off in 1965. The property was named Polish Centre.

 

By 1980 Polish Centre on Brisbane street has become too small for the needs of the rapidly growing Polish community in Perth and The Polish Association in WA decided to sell it and find new bigger premises.

When premises on Brisbane street was sold and extra funds were donated by The Polish Women Association and The Association of Polish Combatants (SPK) number 9, The Polish Association in WA we were successful in buying and renovate the premises in 33 Eighth Avenue in Maylands, which were previously used as Fire Brigade headquarters and a  Youth Centre.

Since 1980 it is a new Polish Centre for Polish community in Perth.

 

By late 1990s property in 33 Eighth Avenue became too small for activities of all organizations working in it, but the location was great and The Polish Association in WA approached Lotteries Commission for funding to make extensions. It was very successful in obtaining a grant of $150,000. The Polish community raised $50,000 for the project as well.

 

Polish Centre in Maylands is currently used  by Polish Association in Western Australia,  Polish language classes for adults,  WA Association of Polish Women managing Rainbow The Multicultural Aged Care Program providing Home Care Packages and Community Visitors Scheme for people of Slavic origins and  Polish Ethnic School im. Adama Mickiewicza.

 

Many important functions, meetings, celebrations were conducted at the Polish Centre. Many famous Polish people visited our premises interacting with members of the Polish community. The Polish Centre still is the place where Polish people meet and  commemorate their important dates and welcome prominent  Polish people and Australian Government representatives.

 

The Polish Association in WA is assisting many Polish people and Australians of Polish origin with their queries about Poland, obtaining Polish passports or reading letters from Poland send by long lost relatives. Justice of the Peace is always on duties to help with signing statements written in Polish.

 

The Polish Centre – Dom Polski always has been the center of attention for the Polish Association members. We dedicate time and money to maintain the property conveniently located next to the Polish Church  in Maylands. After last renovation in 2015 we are planning to extend/improve the building again.

 

Every year, The Polish Association in WA celebrated its anniversaries. There were occasional artistic evenings, jubilee cakes, photos, speeches and occasional publications.

The last one, 69 Anniversary, was celebrated in 2019 but for the next 2 years any public meetings were not allowed due to problems with spreading Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We are planning our next celebration as soon as it will be possible.