The Invisible Migrant: Annette Jorgensen’s Experience of Identity in Australia

Annette Jorgensen, who immigrated to Australia from Denmark in 1969 at the age of two, has shared her experiences of living as a migrant while possessing a physical appearance that allowed her to blend in with white Australians.

Because she looked like a native-born white Australian, Jorgensen found that people often confided their racist views to her, unaware that she was a migrant herself. This dynamic provided her with an insightful perspective on the social climate and the nature of prejudice within the country.

Migration and the Australian Policy Context

The Jorgensen family moved from Copenhagen to Australia in 1969. Unlike many migrants of the era, they did not move to escape economic ruin or persecution. instead, they were invited and subsidized by the Australian government.

While the official White Australia Policy was no longer in effect at the time of their arrival, Jorgensen noted that Northern Europeans appeared to be more welcome than individuals of other nationalities.

Upon arriving in Sydney after a six-week journey, the family was sent to the Bonegilla Migrant Camp, located near the Victorian border town of Wodonga. At the camp, the Jorgensens were one of only six Danish families among thousands of migrants from varied backgrounds, including Greeks and Italians.

Integration and Professional Challenges

The transition to Australian life involved navigating language barriers and establishing new support networks. Jorgensen recalled that English lessons at the camp frequently restarted every few weeks as new boats arrived, which hindered consistent progress for some.

Her mother, Iris, struggled with the language, learning basic introductions but never improving her English to a level that would allow her to utilize her psychiatric nursing degree in Australia. She worked as a house cleaner in Toorak and in factories in Prahran.

In contrast, Jorgensen’s father spent more than 30 years working as a psychiatric nurse at the Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital, while also driving trucks for additional income between shifts.

The family’s integration was further aided by other Danish migrants. After her father met a fellow Dane in a general store, the contact helped the family organize transport, furniture and a flat in Melbourne. This individual became part of a broader network of non-related uncles, cousins and aunties who served as a surrogate family for the Jorgensens.