Welsh Australians will today celebrate St David’s Day in a state that adopted the name NSW, representing one of the more optimistic acts of imperial branding. History suggests that when Captain Cook gazed upon the east coast in 1770, he deemed it “close enough” to the familiar, verdant landscape of home.
Cook was certainly not referring to the climate. While Wales is synonymous with rolling, lush hills, choral harmonies, and relentless rain, Sydney specialises in iconic harbour views, high-factor SPF, and shivering when the temperature dips below 20 degrees.
Nevertheless, the Welsh imprint on Australia is ubiquitous. A couple of hours north of Sydney, one finds the transplanted cities of Swansea and Cardiff – names moved from the Bristol Channel to a coastline that enjoys far more ultraviolet enthusiasm. A little further afield, the Hunter Valley’s coal industry owes its foundations to Welsh miners, such as Thomas Lewis from Merthyr Tydfil, who played a crucial role in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Welsh influence is literally ingrained in Australian history, with slate from the Welsh valleys featuring in historical buildings like Camden Park and Elizabeth Farm. Similarly, David Jones, the upmarket department store synonymous with taste, was founded by a Welshman from Llandeilo.
Before “soft power” became a common term, Welsh influence reached the highest levels of Australian politics. Billy “the Little Digger” Hughes, born to Welsh immigrants, guided Australia through the First World War with a rhetorical force reminiscent of a chapel pulpit.
A century later, Julia Gillard journeyed from the town of Barry to The Lodge, demonstrating that Gavin & Stacey’s Nessa was not the only robust woman from Barry to reject misogyny. Ironically, even Tony Abbott carries Welsh DNA. Even the most hallowed of legal institutions – the High Court – has long been shaped by Welsh influence. Samuel Griffith, a former chief justice and a primary architect of the Australian Constitution, was also born in Merthyr Tydfil.
Given the Welsh affinity for song and the dramatic, it is perhaps no surprise that Australia’s most celebrated performers share these roots. Kylie and Dannii Minogue’s mother hails from the valley town of Maesteg; Olivia Newton-John’s father was born in Cardiff; and Naomi Watts, whose maternal family is Welsh, was educated at a Welsh-speaking school in north Wales. Even the eisteddfods that generations of Australian school children have, depending on your point of view, endured or enjoyed are, as the name suggests, Welsh in origin. Meaning “sitting” or “session,” the tradition traces its lineage back to Cardigan Castle in 1176.
Yet despite these deep cultural ties, don’t expect a boisterous street parade this weekend. That kind of revelry is left to our boisterous, albeit beloved, Celtic neighbours who, just quietly, celebrate another Welshman – St Patrick. Instead, the Welsh contribution to the Australian character is defined by a quieter “little battler” mentality – a stoicism grounded in humility. In many ways, there is nothing more Australian than that.
This Sunday, whether you’re following the “Lambassador’s” orders for a “chop and a cold one”, or sitting down to a succulent Chinese meal, consider adding some leeks to the menu. It is an understated, characteristic nod to a culture that has quietly stitched itself into the fabric of Australian society. Better still, find a fresh batch of Welsh cakes to devour, or take a stroll through Llankelly Place, Bangor, Menai, or Llanthony. If you do, bring an umbrella; the weekend forecast looks appropriately Welsh.
To the Welsh-Australians celebrating: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus (Happy St David’s Day). To everyone else: Iechyd da (good health).
Matt Lewis SC is a barrister who specialises in media law and a proud Welsh-Australian.
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Matt Lewis is a barrister specialising in media law.
