chronology of the 'ndrangheta down under
- In December 1922, the ship "Re d'Italia" arrived in Australia carrying the three mythological founders of the 'ndrangheta.
- On October 7, 1945, “Fat” Joe Versace was killed with 91 stab wounds. The murder is considered the first known crime committed by the 'ndrangheta.
- In 1962, after the death of boss Domenico Italiano, a fierce war for control of the Queen Victoria Market began. It ended some years later after much bloodshed, and the rise of a new boss, Liborio Benvenuto.
The 'ndrangheta in Australia is over 100 years old. Its arrival from Calabria dates back to December 1922, with the landing of its three founders in Fremantle, Adelaide and Melbourne.
In 1945 an excessively violent murder in the inner city suburbs was the first strong suggestion of 'ndrangheta presence in Melbourne.
Anna takes Carlo to a house in Fitzroy near the Carlton Gardens to tell him what happened, and reveals the protagonists of a long forgotten story.
Some of whom would resurface nearly 20 years later, sparking one of Australia's bloodiest mafia turf wars.
At the time, it was a spectacular set of killings for sure. And something that the market wasn't expecting and wasn’t used to.Dr Anna Sergi
In the 1960s, Queen Victoria Market was the stage for a series of murders and suspicious "incidents" that took place in a battle for control of the market.
And for the first time in Australia, an official police document revealed the existence of the 'ndrangheta Down Under, as Carlo learns while visiting the market.
The tomb at Carlton Cemetery of Vincenzo Angeletta, one of the main characters in the Queen Victoria Market murders saga.
“My Australian Mafia Roadtrip” is an SBS Audio podcast about the history and the psychology of the ‘ndrangheta Down Under. Find it in your podcast app such as the SBS Audio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or LiSTNR.
Host: Carlo Oreglia
Special Guest: Anna Sergi
Commissioning Editor: Joel Supple
Sound designer: Max Gosford
Tile Art: 50sVintageDame/illustrationroom.com.au
