About us
Created in 2020, the Association aimed to represent Australian-French community interests through the vital role of Le Courrier Australien. First launched in Sydney in 1892, Le Courrier Australien is the longest running foreign-language newspaper in Australia.
For more than 120 years, Le Courrier Australien has been fundamental in integrating the French-speaking community in Australia, and vice-versa, exposing Australians to the best of French culture, lifestyle and philosophy.
The purposes of the Association are:
• Promoting Australian-French culture in all its diversity and fostering the continuation of the longstanding Australian-French relationship by organising and funding events showcasing the common history of Australia and France,
• Informing the Australian-French public about issues affecting the community, including the need for strong local content production for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
• Ensuring that the LCA is properly funded to maintain and advance its role as Australia’s oldest foreign newspaper in all media, including facilitating the publication of various prints and publications of benefit to the community.
• Ensuring that the LCA remains editorially independent of government and commercial interests.
• Assisting the LCA in adopting an educational role through the provision of vocational experiences and platforms for domestic and international students and through engaged partnership with various educational bodies in France and Australia.
· Saving Le Courrier Australien archives using appropriate technologies.
About Le Courrier Australien
History
Ivan Barko - Emeritus Professor of the University of Sydney
The Courrier Australien has been in existence continuously since the end of the nineteenth century. Its first issue appeared on 30 April 1892. It had a subtitle: “A Cosmopolitan Newspaper appearing on Saturdays. Politics, Literature, Science, Arts, Commerce, Fashion, etc.” The new weekly was the brainchild of a Francophile Polish nobleman, Charles Jean de Wroblewski. He had been recruited by the New South Wales Government in 1885 as an analytical chemist. Six years later he married Daisy Serisier, daughter of French pioneer Jean Emile de Bouillon-Serisier, one of the founders of Dubbo.
Testimonial
Jacqueline DWYER (née Playoust)
The Courrier Australien has touched many people of French origin including myself. In the 1930s my parents subscribed to this journal to access events in Australia and France that were of interest to the French community. It was largely written in French.
As a child I observed and collected these new French words just as I was learning to read in the English language at my Australian primary school. At home I learnt to recognise diverse French words from French children’s books, gramophone records and baggage labels. My father, Jacques Playoust, joined in the chase.
Message from the owners
François VANTOMME Co-owner / Director - Editor-In-Chief
Bernard LE BOURSICOT AOM Co-owner
Throughout its 127 year existence, part of Le Courrier Australien’s DNA has been the link that unites francophones and francophiles across the vast Australian territory. It is a testament to the history of this French presence in Australia and is in many ways the voice of the exceptional friendship that exists between France and Australia!
The newspaper has always endorsed French businesses and French savoir-faire and has always been actively involved in the promotion of French culture.
