It was 1956, and a set of passengers had travelled nearly 14,000km, unknowingly approaching a land teetering on a quiet revolution.
The place they were going to was only starting to resemble the multiculturalism of today as an ongoing cohort of Europeans migrated to Australia.
One woman in particular had uprooted her life, leaving everything and everyone behind in the small village of Foggia, Italy.
The woman’s name was Carolina Cerrone.
To say she was worried was an understatement; she was in a state of shock.
Starting from scratch, like her family’s traditional Italian dishes, may require a pinch of faith – perhaps more.
And for what?
What method to the madness did this young 23-year-old woman have for flying so close to the sun?
It was for love, of course.
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A cardinal chapter ended and another began when newly wedded Carolina crossed the sea to be with her beloved Leonardo.
That same year, their daughter Lucy was born.
She grew just as the trees in the orchard surrounding their new home bore their fruit — a noticeable moment or two of change, then all too quickly.
But the joy of Carolina’s newfound country lifestyle was sometimes punctured by homesickness.
It was an adjustment for Carolina to settle into the Australian way; never a fog to come over her previous life in the small village.
But something was about to happen that would bring home closer to her.
Little did Carolina know history was due to repeat itself.
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The ’60s was a pivotal time for change, and for Carolina’s niece Maria Napolitano, it was her time.
By all accounts, Maria was somewhat of a pioneer in her immediate family — the first to move to Australia, with her parents and siblings to follow soon after.
At 20 years of age, Maria was brought in from Italy by Carolina to live with her as a sponsored migrant.
Society dictated to be a woman in regional Italy in the ’60s was to have a limited roll of the dice in the employment pool, and Maria pined for more.
Australia promised a better future, more independence and the chance to work.
Plus, her family wouldn’t be too far behind.
Or so she thought.
Health issues stumped Maria’s father from passing go, and in turn, the rest of the family did not go either, unravelling the storybook narrative of a family together.
Still, she was not alone.
“You would say Maria became like an adopted daughter to Carolina,” Lucy said.
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There would be no homecoming for Carolina for nearly 50 years.
In 2002, Carolina, with daughter Lucy in tow, travelled back to Foggia and 10 years after that, cause for celebration kindled another trip to the now trendy Italian village — Carolina’s sister (Maria’s mother) Emmanuelle turning 90.
The two Australian trailblazers, Carolina and Maria, returned to Foggia in 2012 to celebrate with their family, “and oh boy, was it fun”.
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Australia is home, but the traditional Italian lifestyle remains at the forefront of their family values — a close-knit family being one of them.
Hence, a family reunion of the unique and heart-warming kind.
Five generations gathered in the living room of Carolina’s Shepparton home for the first time ever on Monday, August 21, breathing new life into the 42 years she’s resided there.
There was Carolina, Maria, Maria’s daughter Angela Napolitano, and her daughter Celeste Sinclair with her two children, Mary, 3, and 20-month-old Ava.
From Canberra, Kyabram and Shepparton, the women conversed about their lives, recounting stories of Italian heritage’s past.
A shy Mary surveyed the room warily, while Ava beamed up at her nonna, biz nonna and aunty.
Carolina watched Mary’s bright eyes take in her surroundings, stopping on the giant orchids atop the corner table.
Green thumbs run in the family, but they’re not always inherited.
Unlike their cultural roots.
Unquestionably, the family’s Italian traditions remain alive from generation to generation, planted and tended to, no matter the soil they stand on.