Michele Crisci arrived in Australia in February 1952 from Tufara Vale, provincia d'Avellino, Italy. His wife Maria and daughter Anna followed in August 1954, landing in Melbourne, on the last voyage of the ship the Sorriento.  They travelled on to Adelaide by train, settling in with another family in East Street, Hectorville. Maria cried for months, homesick for her home on Via Appia.

In 1956 a son Franco was born and in 1958 they moved into a new home, again in East Street, Hectorville. Michele worked various jobs, mixing cement and terrazzo with Sunbeam Terrazzo to general labourer at Holdens Woodville. Maria worked in the local shoe factory, the fruit factory in Newton and as a housekeeper for many years for a prominent Adelaide family. They worked hard and long hours.

There were many difficult times and emotions due to the language problem - misunderstandings, embarrassment, regret. Eventually they attended English classes at Mr Allan's home in East Street. It was hard trying to learn English after a long day at work.

They became citizens in 1962 and remained in Hectorville until 1971, when they relocated to Glynde temporarily and then into a new home in Rostrevor in 1972.

Michele retired in 1982 and he and Maria went to Italy for a holiday in 1983. Michele remarked on his return that things in Italy had changed for the worse and Australia was now his home.

In 1995 Michele died after a number of years of poor health due to heart failure. After he died Maria lived on her own until 2002 when due to failing health she could manage no more and has moved in Tappeiner Court Nursing Home. Of her children, Anna married Matt; their children are Marissa and Belinda. Franco married Maria; their children are Michael, Simon and Claudia.