January 8, 2026

Legacy of the War Brides

She waited four years and faced immense hostility just to enter the country. The story of Cherry Parker, the first Japanese war bride, who challenged the White Australia Policy and endured racism to build a life with her husband and eight children.

Cherry Parker: The war bride who created a shift in the White Australia Policy

Cherry Parker, the first Japanese war bride to come to Australia, had to wait four years before she was allowed to come to Australia. War brides often faced hostility, distrust and racism.

Cherry Parker, the first Japanese war bride to come to Australia, married her husband, AIF serviceman Digger Gordon Parker, in Japan.

But it took four years, and the birth in Japan of the first two of their eight children before she was finally allowed to come to Australia.

Junior High Students Revive the Legacy of a War Bride

From a school history project to a permanent tribute in Hiroshima: the inspiring story of the students who built a bench for Cherry Parker. How the romance of Australia's first Japanese war bride captivated a community and proved that love can grow even in the darkest of times.

January 8, 2026

Food, Family, and the Echo of War Brides

More than just a meal: how Japanese war brides in 1950s Australia used food to rebuild their lives. Featuring the recipe for "Okaasan’s Aussie Okonomiyaki"—a savory pancake born from resilience, improvisation, and the love of feeding a family.

Legacy of the War Brides

Cherry Parker: The war bride who created a shift in the White Australia Policy

More stories to explore

Junior High Students Revive the Legacy of a War Bride

Food, Family, and the Echo of War Brides