Multicultural communities
 In this section:
The City of Melbourne is the home, workplace and leisure centre of one of the world's most harmonious and culturally diverse communities.
Residents from more than 140 nations live side by side in Melbourne, brought here by four main waves of migration.
The first wave was European settlement in the 1830s by mostly Anglo-Celtic people who displaced the area’s original inhabitants, the people of the Kulin nation.
The second was a flood of hopefuls from all over the world trying their luck during the 1850s Gold Rush. This lead to further Aboriginal dispossessions, especially inland from the early Melbourne settlement. The influx saw the arrival of significant numbers of Chinese.
The third wave was post-WWII refugees and displaced people from Europe as well as assisted migrants to bolster Australia’s population. By 1976, 20 per cent of the city’s population spoke a non-English first language. The fourth significant wave came post-1970s, with migration from Vietnam and Cambodia.
In recent years, large numbers of international students have contributed to the multicultural fabric of Melbourne.
Melbourne today is a welcoming, outgoing and confident city, a reflection on the generous and inclusive spirit of its people. This spirit embraces change while respecting heritage; celebrates diversity while sharing a common sense of place and pride; and aspires to a rich, lively and peaceful future.
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