Australia is a rapidly growing olive oil market with limited domestic production and high consumer demand. A recent market study by the Economic and Commercial Affairs Office of the Greek Consulate in Sydney highlights strong opportunities for branded Greek olive oil, particularly due to the large Greek diaspora and the high regard for the Mediterranean diet, olivenews.com, has reported.
Domestic production has reached 20–25 thousand tons annually, mainly in Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. These regions focus on high-quality extra virgin olive oil, much of which is exported. In 2023, the market value reached AUD 475 million and is expected to grow by 5.2% annually through 2028.
Olive oil is seen as a healthy option and is found in two-thirds of Australian households. Consumer profiles range from gourmet home cooks and tradition-driven users to health-conscious and environmentally aware buyers. Prices vary from AUD 9 to 16 for 500 ml bottles, with strong demand for extra virgin olive oil.
The EU supplies over 95% of Australia’s imports, led by Spain, followed by Italy and Greece. While Greek olive oil has a smaller market share, its reputation remains strong. Distribution is supported by specialised importers, Greek restaurants, and delicatessens, particularly in cities with large Greek communities like Melbourne and Sydney.
Greek products such as olive oil, olives, and wine maintain a steady presence, with growing recognition and demand fueled by the positive image of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Import duties on olive oil are zero, making the market even more accessible.
Traditionally, scholars have dated the origins of the Greek alphabet to the 8th century BC. However, Associate Professor Willemijn Waal, with the help of a Vici grant, aims to explore whether the alphabet could be several centuries older, originally written on perishable materials like papyrus or wood, universiteitleiden.nl has reported.
Since the 1930s, researchers believed in an “alphabetic bang”—the idea that the Greek alphabet suddenly emerged in the 8th century BC and rapidly evolved into other alphabets such as the Anatolian and Italic, precursors to Latin script. But new evidence suggests a slower, earlier development.
Recent carbon-14 dating of pottery reveals inscriptions that may date back to the 9th or even 10th century BC, indicating the Greek alphabet’s origins predate current estimates. Furthermore, the earliest surviving inscriptions were likely not the first ever written—just the first to survive due to the durability of materials like clay or stone.
If the alphabet was in use earlier, it challenges the idea of a 400-year “Dark Age” in Greece without writing. It could also shift perspectives on Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, suggesting these epics may have been written—or at least partially recorded—earlier than thought.
While Waal acknowledges that questioning long-held beliefs may be controversial, she sees it as an exciting part of scientific discovery. “You never stop learning,” she says.
Greek foreign policy is best understood from a geopolitical position, and more specifically, from Spiros Katsoulas’ recent theory of the Rimland Bridge, an important geographical area that includes Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. However, it is the state that controls the Aegean Sea within the Rimland Bridge that has three advantages, that is, the ability to form strategic, stage amphibious assaults abroad, and influence the vast number of vessels that pass through.
It is here that the importance of Greece becomes apparent as it controls the majority of the Aegean Sea, and the Aegean islands form a natural chain that both reinforce Greek defensive capabilities and enhance Greek power projection against much larger adversaries.
The Aegean also links to Corfu in the Ionian Sea to halt threats coming from the Western Mediterranean or Adriatic Sea and also links to Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean that acts as a Greek anchor capable of flanking and distracting would-be aggressors. It is therefore an understatement to say that Greece must, at all costs, retain its control of the Aegean Sea, and it is this thinking that that has influenced Greek strategy since antiquity, or in this case, 1821 to 1974.
BIO
Evangelos Demos is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney under the supervision of Professor Vrasidas Karalis. His thesis is titled The Geopolitics of Greek Foreign Policy: From the Great Idea to Great Ideas? and delves into the labyrinth that is Greek geopolitics, Greek foreign policy and Greek Grand Strategy.
In recognition of the research’s significance at the doctorate level, Evangelos has been awarded two scholarships, one for exemplary potential and the other for advocating Greek studies.
To further his research, Evangelos is currently writing a book titled Greek Grand Strategy that is due for publication in 2026. Upon completing his PhD, Evangelos aims to launch and lead the newly founded Demos Institute in September 2025 with a mission to lobby the Greek state in geopolitical matters of importance to the Greek nation such.
Event Details:
When: Thursday 15 May 2025, 7pm
Speaker: Evangelos Demos
Seminar: The Geopolitics of Greek Foreign Policy: From the Great Idea to Great Ideas?
Where: TheGreek Centre (Mezzanine, 168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne)
Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for Daktylies (Cypriot-style bread) with The Greek Herald. You can follow her on Instagram @mygreekkitchen for more!
This recipe makes two loaves of bread.
Ingredients:
1kg strong bread flour
2 sachet yeast (14 g)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
450 ml lukewarm milk
200 ml lukewarm aniseed water – (*note 1)
½ tsp ground mastiha
½ tsp ground mahlepi
White Sesame seeds – about 3-4 tbsp
Black sesame seeds – about 2 tbsp
Aniseed (optional) – about 1 tsp
Method:
NOTE 1 – In a small bowl or cup add 200ml freshly boiled water with 1 tablespoon aniseed. Stir and let it steep for about 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan warm your milk, your slightly cooled brewed aniseed “tea” – do not boil it. You will be adding your yeast to this and if it’s too hot it will kill the yeast. It will not take long at all to just warm it. Once it’s warm add your sugar to the tea/milk mixture and stir it making sure sugar has dissolved. Add your yeast and stir it through. Set it aside till the yeast is activated – about 10 minutes.
In a bowl or your stand-alone mixer bowl, add the flour, olive oil, ground mastiha (*note 2) and mahlepi, and yeast/milk mixture. Knead the mixture for a couple of minutes and then add your salt. Knead again for another 8-9 minutes (6-7 if using mixer) until it all comes together and forms a soft dough. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover it, leaving it to rise/double in size (approx. 1 hour). NOTE 2: Mastiha and mehlepi can be found in Greek and Middle eastern delis/grocery stores. Mehlepi is already ground but mastiha comes in little pieces which need to be pounded in a mortar and pestle with a little flour.
In the meantime, add you black and white sesame seeds in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring them to a rapid boil for a minute or so and then remove from heat. Rinse under cold water and let excess water drain away in a sieve.
Once your dough has doubled in size, cut into 2 equal amounts. With your hands, shape each piece into a sausage with slightly pointy ends (as per photos). Now spread your sesame seed mixture and aniseed (if using) onto your bench top. With slightly wet hands, rub your dough and roll evenly into the seeds. The wetness of the seeds and dough will make them stick. Roll dough backwards and forwards till it is generously covered.
Using a sharp knife, cut approximately 1 inch thickness through the dough (as per photo) and transfer to your baking tray lined with baking paper. Let it rest again for 20 minutes, and at this stage preheat your oven (180C), then bake for approx. 25-30 minutes. Once golden brown, tap underneath to see if it has a hollow sound. If it does, your loaf is ready. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
“Φάε παιδί μου!” Eat, my child. “Πάρε ένα μπουφάν!” Take a jacket. If you grew up Greek, chances are you’ve heard these phrases many times.
It’s a maternal chorus steeped in antiquity where women whose fierce love, quiet strength, and everyday wisdom set the blueprint for Greek motherhood through the ages. Demetra stopped the seasons after losing Persephone to Hades, dramatic and powerful. Hecuba of Troy lost her children, her city, and her freedom, but never her dignity. Alcmene, mother of Hercules, raised a demigod under the threat of Hera’s wrath.
Niki’s mum, Chrisoula, in her 20sNiki’s mum, Christoula, in her 80s.
Then there is toxic motherhood in Euripides’ sculpted retelling of Medea, where he has her running away from her father’s house to marry Jason. Betrayed, she is portrayed as a killer of her own children – an act that speaks to our imaginations with power as it challenges the assumption of a mother’s unconditional love. (Versions before Euripides had Corinthians kill the children).
These ancient women were protectors, strategists, survivors, and sometimes scary, just like many Greek migrant mums-to-be who left their homeland as brides, with just one suitcase and hearts full of hope.
Before establishing women’s group Heliades, Niki Matziaris-Garay worked for many years with the Pronia welfare organisation, developing programs for Greek migrants, especially women and families.
She points to motherhood in the diaspora as coming with added layers – navigating a new language, culture and system while trying to pass on Hellenic identity.
Koraly signs her book, ‘The Mother Must Die’, beside her daughter who created the illustration.Niki Mtziaris with her two sons
“The Greek mother is a mother who is worn out,” she says. “Young girls migrated to Australia, many married by proxy, and became mothers with nobody to stand by them. They worked hard for a better life and there was no going out, they supported their families. Today we have a beautiful and smart community with lawyers, politicians and doctors – and we owe it all to these mothers. They made us who we are.”
It’s a legacy of resilience, wrapped in filo pastry.
“My son always complained I was too strict, which I, personally, could not understand. Perhaps I pressured more at school and insisted Greek school attendance, though I never intervened in their career and life choices,” Niki says.
She could tell that she had a different parenting style to Australian mothers.
“My son came home shocked one day when his friend’s mum sold their house and moved to a two-bedroom flat. She told her son that she could no longer have him at home because she needed more space. My son viewed this as harsh,” she says.
On the other end of the spectrum, she remembered seeing mothers at Pronia crying because their children, university graduates, announced they were ready to move out of home.
“There was a social stigma to it. And sometimes what Greek Australian society dictated was put above the needs of the child,” she explains.
Bestselling Greek-Cypriot author, poet and mother Koraly Dimitriadis dedicated the title of her anthology, ‘The Mother Must Die’, to one of the characters – “mother”, seen on the book’s cover as merging into a sea of red.
“I really tried to highlight in my short story collection, ‘The Mother Must Die’, how overbearing that generation is, but also how much trauma and injustice that generation has experienced. Maybe in the past, I looked at the overbearing nature in isolation because of the difficulties I experienced going through divorce, but today in my writings I cannot,” she told The Greek Herald.
Niki says that each generation pushes the envelope a little further. A mother’s instincts, however, don’t change.
Ancient mums fought to keep their children fed and safe, and modern Greek mums fight for the same things. Maybe the dangers have changed – from wild boars and the wrath of Zeus to online bullying – but the armour is still a home-cooked meal, a warm jumper and push for excellence.
A charred papyrus scroll buried by Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago has been identified as a work by the Greek philosopher Philodemus. Using X-ray scans and digital unwrapping, researchers discovered the title and author—On Vices—marking the first time such details have been recovered this way, the Guardian has reported.
“It’s the first scroll where the ink could just be seen on the scan,” said Dr. Michael McOsker, a papyrologist at University College London. “Nobody knew what it was about. We didn’t even know if it had writing on.”
The scroll was digitally unwrapped to reveal writing, which researchers are working to decode. Photo: Vesuvius Challenge
The scroll, from a villa in Herculaneum believed to belong to Julius Caesar’s father-in-law, was carbonised in the AD 79 eruption. Most scrolls from the site are too fragile to open and the ink invisible, but recent advancements have changed that.
Last year’s Vesuvius Challenge, a global competition promoting AI-based scroll reading, awarded $700,000 for reading 2,000 ancient Greek letters. This scroll, PHerc. 172, housed at the Bodleian Libraries, was scanned in July. Researchers identified Greek words including “disgust” and eventually the text’s title and author, winning the challenge’s $60,000 prize.
The scroll may be the first of at least 10 volumes of On Vices, which explores topics like arrogance, greed, and flattery.
“We’re seeing evidence of ink in many of the new scrolls we’ve scanned but we haven’t converted that into coherent text yet,” said Dr Brent Seales, a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky, who co-founded the Vesuvius Challenge. “That’s our current bottleneck: converting the massive scan data into organised sections that are properly segmented, virtually flattened, and enhanced so that the evidence of ink can then be interpreted as actual text.”
McOsker noted: “The pace is ramping up very quickly … Everything we’re getting from the Herculaneum library is new to us.”
As Greece braces for a record-breaking summer, the hospitality sector is scrambling to find workers, theguardian.com, has reported. A sign outside the Karyatis taverna beneath the Acropolis reads: “Seeking staff, chefs, waiters, kitchen personnel.” It’s a familiar sight across the country.
Tourism, which accounts for 25% of Greece’s GDP, faces a labour gap of around 80,000 positions in hotels and restaurants. “It’s becoming harder and harder to find employees,” says Dimitris Stathokostopoulos, who co-runs the taverna. Many Greeks now opt for office jobs with fixed hours, avoiding demanding seasonal work.
The shortage, partly a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, is particularly severe in popular destinations like Crete and Rhodes, where businesses are luring staff from rivals with better wages and benefits. Giorgos Hotzoglou, president of POEET, warns the lack of qualified workers is unprecedented. Many who left the sector during lockdowns haven’t returned, discouraged by its seasonality and limited unemployment support.
Other sectors like construction and agriculture are also struggling with workforce gaps, exacerbated by demographic decline and the emigration of over 500,000 Greeks during the financial crisis.
To ease the crunch, the government has moved to legalize 30,000 undocumented migrants and struck labour agreements with countries like Egypt, India, and Vietnam. Asylum seekers are also entering the workforce through new training programs.
Despite tough migration rhetoric, officials acknowledge the need for foreign labour. “It’s inconceivable that we’re discussing an increasing number of deportations,” says Sofia Kouvelaki of the Home Project, citing future labour demands.
With tourism projected to hit 40 million visitors by 2028, Greece is hosting international job fairs and urging expatriates: “Come back. The Greek economy is not what you remember. It’s doing very well.”
The Australian Hellenic Choir has announced its upcoming concert A Portrait of Greece. It will be held at 4:30pm, Sunday, 1 June 2025 at the Sir John Clancy Auditorium, University of New South Wales.
This concert features two parts. In Part 1, the Choir will perform the song Seikilos’ Epitaph, an original song from ancient Greece dating back to 200BC. A number of songs by Australian Greek Composers, that the Choir has commissioned, will follow. The central theme is migration, especially from the viewpoint of the descendants of the migrants.
Part 2 is a magical journey through Greek music genres and places, with Nisiotika and Demotika songs that everyone knows and loves.
The concert will feature a 15- piece orchestra and several solo performances from up-and-coming Australian Greek vocalists.
“This is a concert for all ages and for all people” James Tsolakis, the Choir’s Founder and President, said. “It showcases the often-hidden talent we have in the Greek diaspora here in Australia, as well as a magical tour of Greek music from around Greece.”
A past concert by the Australian Hellenic Choir.
The Australian Hellenic Choir is a multi-cultural and multi-lingual group of enthusiastic and dedicated singers who aspire to bring the best of the world music to Australian and Greek audiences. The Choir is recognised throughout Australia and internationally. In November 2024, the Choir received a Multicultural Communities Award for its contribution to Multiculturalism.
This is a not to be missed concert. All net proceeds from this event will be donated to a number of Charities that support the homeless.
All existing Board members were re-elected during the meeting, with James Stevens from the Hellenic Club of Sydney appointed to fill a vacant seat. Executive roles will be determined at a follow-up Board meeting scheduled in two weeks.
The elected Board members are: George Mpliokas, Peter Siomos, John Petropoulos, Andrew Kalavritinos, Eve Tusa, Phillip Koinis, George Kafataris, George Lianos, Elias Sioutas, Sam Pashalis, and Mr Stevens.
Proceeds distribution still undecided:
Despite the historic nature of the property deal, the AGM did not include formal discussion on the distribution of sale proceeds — a matter that remains unresolved and, The Greek Herald understands, continues to be a key point of contention between the 21 Greek associations (Unit Holders)* that make up Hellenic Village Ltd.
At an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held in October 2023, Unit Holders unanimously agreed to sell the 105-acre property at Gurner Avenue, Austral, for $117.5 million. At that time, the Board proposed that 50% of net proceeds be distributed to Unit Holders based on their shareholdings, with the remaining 50% to be donated to a new charitable vehicle — the Australian Hellenic Future Fund (AHFF). However, no consensus was reached on this proposal at the time.
Land deal finalised following turbulent sale process:
The recent AGM took place just three days before the official announcement on Thursday, May 8, that the property had been sold for a higher-than-expected $119.5 million to Castle Group. The agreement includes a $200,000 donation to the proposed AHFF.
In response, the Board quickly re-engaged the second and third preference bidders from its original campaign. While the second buyer chose not to proceed, Castle Group eventually emerged as the successful bidder, increasing its offer during negotiations and providing multiple non-refundable payments to secure the transaction.
The Hellenic Village property at Austral.
Castle Group’s vision for Austral
Castle Group plans to develop a 550-home master-planned community on the site, taking advantage of its proximity to the upcoming Western Sydney International Airport and new infrastructure in the region.
Stuart Allen, Head of Development for Castle Group, said: “We’re a Western Sydney company, we’re part of the community that we work in, and we’re excited for this opportunity to positively shape Austral’s future.”
The development is part of a broader surge of urban growth in Austral, which has been earmarked by state and local governments for major residential and commercial expansion.
Despite the financial success of the sale, the future direction of Hellenic Village remains unclear. The central question of how to manage and distribute the proceeds looms large.
The idea of using half the net proceeds to seed a long-term philanthropic fund has its advocates, but also opposition from Unit Holders who believe their organisations should directly benefit from the sale.
As the newly confirmed Board prepares to meet again to determine leadership roles, it is expected that this issue will need to be addressed with urgency.
Whether through formal resolution or further consultation with Unit Holders, the path forward will require unity, transparency, and a clear vision for how to honour both the financial opportunity and the original purpose of the Hellenic Village project.
*The 21 Greek associations who make up the Hellenic Village Ltd:
Order of AHEPA NSW INC – 3 shares
AHEPA Heracles INC – 3 shares
Apollo Sports and Cultural Club – 1 share.
Cyprus Hellene Club Inc – 2 shares.
Diakofton Association – 3 shares.
Elassona Philanthropic Association – 3 shares
Greek Taxi Drivers’ Assoc. – 1 share
Hassion Philanthropic Assoc – 3 shares
Hellenic Club of Sydney – 3 shares
Helmos Philanthropic Association – 3 shares
Kalavryton Society (NSW) ‘Aghia Lavra’ Inc – 3 shares
Lefkadian Brotherhood of NSW LTD – 2 shares
Messolonghi Association – 3 PO
Meteora Association – 3 shares
Pan-Arcadian Association of NSW – 2 shares
Pan-Korinthian Association of NSW – 2 shares
Pan-Nafpaktian Association ‘Nafpaktos’ – 2 shares
Pan-Thessalian Federation – 2 shares
Pan-Thracian Association of NSW ‘Democritus’ – 2 shares
Association of Plataneon ‘O Platanos’ – 3 shares
Saint Barbara Philanthropic Association – 2 shares
The event is held in support of The Brain Cancer Group (TBCG) and raises vital funds for brain cancer research, education and patient and carer support programs.
This year’s breakfast will feature two inspiring voices from within the brain cancer community:
Dr Alexander Yuile, Medical Oncologist and researcher with The Brain Cancer Group, will speak about his commitment to advancing treatment options for patients living with brain cancer. Dr Yuile is currently undertaking a PhD focused on the molecular biology of gliomas and how these insights may contribute to future therapies.
Emily Kirk, a young mother and brain cancer patient, will share her powerful story of diagnosis, recovery, and hope. Her journey highlights the importance of early intervention, patient advocacy, and access to specialist care. Emily is also working on a new podcast project to support and empower patients and carers navigating similar experiences.
The Annual Breakfast for Brain Cancer is a signature fundraising event for the White Pearl Foundation, bringing together brain cancer specialists, patients, carers, ambassadors and the wider community in a united effort to improve outcomes for those affected by brain cancer.
“We are honoured to have Dr Yuile and Emily Kirk join us this year,” said Suzane Peponis-Brisimis, founder of The White Pearl Foundation. “Their insight and courage will inform and inspire. We look forward to hearing them speak.”
Tickets are on sale now, with strong demand anticipated. All proceeds from the event will go toward funding The Brain Cancer Group’s research program.
As in previous years, this fundraising brunch promises to be a truly enjoyable event, featuring inspiring speakers, a raffle with great prizes to be won, and a variety of donated gifts available for purchase at the Breakfast for Brain Cancer Bazaar.
The White Pearl Foundation also acknowledges the valued support of The Greek Herald, our official media partner for this event.
If you’re looking for a way to make a positive impact in your community, we encourage you to gather family and friends and attend, safe in the knowledge that all profits will go directly to brain cancer research.
If you cannot attend but would like to make a donation, please follow the donation link on the White Pearl Foundation’s website.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the generous prize donors and sponsors who have contributed to this year’s fundraising efforts.
Burwood Dental Centre, Candles by Athena, CAW 9, Felicia Aroney Artist, Frutex, Hip Hampers, King Living, Levendi Jewellers, Mint Lime Blue, Oceania Cruises, Oh Marmo, Plekto By Hand, Sam and Christina Tsatsoulis, Sappho Designs, Sensi Wines, Shoal Bay Country Club, The Greek Islands Taverna, The Herring Room, Tracey O’Donoghue and TravelManagers. We also acknowledge our sponsors Orama Communications and Zest Waterfront Venues for their generous charity rates.
Your support plays a vital role in helping us raise much-needed funds for brain cancer research. Your contribution demonstrates the power of community, coming together for a meaningful cause. We are deeply grateful for your kindness and commitment.
To offer prizes to the fundraising program and for all other enquiries, please contact Suzane on 0418 238 723.
The fundraising brunch will be held in the Pacific Room of the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Wunulla Road, Point Piper at 10:30am on Friday, May 23rd, 2025. Tickets are available now and can be purchased through www.whitepearlfoundation.org. We hope to see you there.
Brain Cancer Facts:
Brain cancer kills more children in Australia than any other disease.
Brain cancer kills more people under 40 than any other cancer.
Brain cancer is the second biggest cancer killer of females 0–44 years (aTer breast cancer).
Brain cancer has the highest personal and economic burden of any cancer.
Brain cancer survival rates have barely increased in the last 30 years.
No risk factors for brain cancer have been iden1fied and no screening procedures are available.
Effec1ve treatment op1ons for brain cancer pa1ents are limited and tumours develop resistance to standard therapies.
The most common malignant brain tumour, high-grade glioma (HGG) is almost 100% fatal. YET brain cancer receives less than 5% of Government cancer research funding.
