Giovanni Antonio Emanuele was born 17 June 1920 in San Giorgio, La Molara Italy. His wife Maria Grazia (D'Agostino) was born in the same place on 24 February 1919. In 1942 the couple got married, life for the young couple was hard especially with the onset of World War II. Giovanni enlisted as a soldier in the Mounted Artillery. While Giovanni was representing his country he was captured in Germany and became a prisoner of war for 4 years. He was later released. Giovanni represented his country with great honour.

When Giovanni was reunited with his wife their goal was to own their own farm. Giovanni worked hard, he went to work in the north of Italy to make money so that they could buy their own home. It was during this time that their family started to grow with the birth of their eldest son Carmine in 1946 and then of their second child Pellegrino in 1949. However Giovanni still wanted more opportunity for his family, with relatives already making a life in Australia, Giovanni decided that Australia would provide a better future for his family. So with his eldest son Carmine they both went to work on building sites in Switzerland for a year to raise enough money for the family's fare.

Giovanni & Maria Emanuele

Then in 1964 the young family packed up their belongings and set off to Naples to board the Galileo. The Galileo docked in Melbourne, from there the young family boarded a train to Adelaide. When the family arrived in Adelaide they were met by Giovanni's brother-in-law Michael D'Agostino. Michael was able to provide a fully stocked house at Graves Street, Newton. He also organised work for Giovanni and Carmine at the Campbelltown City Council. Michael also had Pellegrino enrolled at Campbelltown High School.

After 6 months the family moved to Paradise and stayed there for 9 months. Then in 1966 Giovanni purchased a property at Bright Street, Hectorville. In all that time Giovanni worked at Campbelltown Council until he retired in 1985. In his working life Giovanni was instrumental establishing many of the roads around the Campbelltown area.