The Association of Ukrainians in Victoria (AUV) represents the Ukrainian Australian community before the people and government of the state of Victoria, Australia. The AUV promotes linkages with Ukraine, other communities around Australia and identifies and addresses the needs of the Ukrainian community in Victoria to ensure it’s continued existence and development for the enhancement of Australia’s socio-cultural fabric.
Our Not-For-Profit (NFP) status ensures that we serve our community and strive to change people’s lives.
There are over 60,000 people of Ukrainian descent in Australia with the majority living in Victoria and New South Wales. In Victoria, most have settled in the larger urban areas of Melbourne, Geelong, Wodonga and Moe. Small-scale migration has been recorded in the 1860’s and Anzacs from Ukraine served in the First World War. Larger waves of migration have occurred after World War 2, in the 1960’s and post Ukrainian independence of 1991.
The Association of Ukrainians in Victoria (AUV) strives to be a proactive, state-based, united and self-sustaining body that provides a high standard of leadership in developing the destiny of Ukrainian Australians.
The AUV is a registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Act and is a key member of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations.
The AUV’s head office is in Essendon and has branches in Geelong, St Albans, Wodonga and Noble Park.
ABN: 20 004 319 126
DOWNLOADS:
Constitution (Adopted 7 April 2019)
Code of Conduct (Adopted 31 October 2019)
Social Media Policy (Adopted 31 October 2019)
Board of Directors
Tatiana Zachariak
Chairperson of the Board
Born in Adelaide, I shifted to Melbourne in 1976 with my Ukrainian husband Roman Zachariak. Having already been involved there in the Ukrainian community in student & youth organisations in leadership roles, we continued to do the same in Melbourne.
Eugene Hawryszko FCPA
Vice Chairperson of the Board
Eugene, otherwise known as “Gigsy”, is currently a Sales Manager for Siena Foods with major contracts in Coles and Aldi. He was previously General Manager of Spiroski Foods Pty. Ltd. for 13 years.
Eugene worked with the…
Lesia Rudewych
Director of Communications
Lesia has grown up around the AUV Essendon Hall, dancing on Tuesday nights with Verchovyna Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and attending Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM Melbourne) events. She enjoys the community spirit…
Valia Wasil (Kolody)
Director
I was born December 1949 in Wagga Wagga at one minute to midnight.
After my fathers contract finished, we moved to Melbourne. My parents built in Thomastown were I went to State School then onto Merrilands High School….
Nicholas Wasyl
Director of Hall Maintenance & Upgrade
Nicholas Wasyl is a passionate Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) member and electrician by trade. He is proud to have grown up in the Ukrainian community. He has been actively involved in many aspects…
Сергій Циндра (Serhiy Tsundra)
Director
As a proud Ukrainian, who arrived in Australia in 2012 with a little knowledge of Australia, I have to admit it was a life changing event.
What I have realised the moment I’ve stepped into land of ozz, is that Australia has a strong Ukrainian community
Natalie Harasemcuk
Director
Teresa Kohut
Director
Teresa Kohut has been an active member and volunteer of the Ukrainian Community since 1975. She studied Psychiatric Nursing and worked in the field for 10+ years. She began travelling with her family overseas since 1997, living in 5 countries over a period of 18 years returning to Australia in 2018.
Nicholas Angelowitsch
Director
Our Staff
Irene Stawiski
Operations Manager
I grew up in Geelong being very much part of the Ukrainian Community – attending and then teaching Ukrainian school, being active in Plast including as a vykhovnyk , many years (from the late 70s to the mid nineties) on the committee…
Theresa Jaworski
Social Welfare Officer
Marjana Miladinovic
Administration
Born in Croatia to a Ukrainian father and a Serbian mother, Ukrainian culture and traditions were an integral part of my upbringing. From the age of five I was an active member of the Ukrainian cultural society in my hometown Vukovar…
Olena Chernonok
Communications
Nataliya Voznyak
Communications
AUV Committee Contacts
Yana Ostapenko
AUV Archive Project
Marko Pavlyshyn
Ukrainian Studies
Marko Pavlyshyn is an emeritus professor of Ukrainian Studies at Monash University, where he headed the Mykola Zerov Centre for Ukrainian Studies in 2004-2019.