When Estonian Ambassador Jaan Reinhold spoke on Kuku radio, 1 September 2025, it wasn’t just geopolitics and diplomacy on the agenda — it was us. Australia’s Estonian community, he said, is bigger, busier and more full of life than he ever expected.
How big? According to Embassy estimates, around 14,000–15,000 Estonians and their descendants now call Australia home. Not bad for a country that sits three flights and a very long layover away from Tallinn.
And it’s not just numbers. Jaan was struck by how active the community is. From the first boat refugees who landed here around 80 years ago, to today’s younger Estonians arriving on work and holiday visas, each wave has added to the mix — building families, careers, archives, culture groups and traditions that still carry on strong. Some head back to Estonia with new skills, while others stay and put down roots. Either way, the story continues.
Jaan mentioned the three Estonian Houses still standing, the thriving Estonian Society of Sydney with its archives, and newer arrivals like the EstWest society in Western Australia — proof that even in the mining heartlands, Estonian song and language have found a stage.
His verdict?
“Estonian culture, language, identity and traditions are not just surviving here, but going strong.”
Coming from a historian, that carries weight. Jaan admitted he is fascinated by the stories of the first boat refugees who landed in Australia eight decades ago, building little Estonian villages and setting the foundations for community life that endures to this day.
Of course, being a diplomat, he didn’t just talk about us. Jaan also gave listeners a tour of Australia’s bigger role on the world stage: a strong supporter of Ukraine, active in international partnerships, and aiming high with a bid for a UN Security Council seat in 2029.
But his warmest words were for Estonians in Australia — old and new. That’s what we heard anyway.
Listen
Tune in to the full interview in Estonian on Kuku radio and hear for yourself the warmth (and history lessons) that Jaan shared about our community.
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