The Greek community in Australia is one of the most well-established and integrated in the land down under. It has managed to distinguish itself in all fields of the Australian society with one of the most prosperous and successful ones located in Perth in the state of Western Australia. Channel 7’s “Today Tonight” show focused on an untold story of heroism that links the port city of Perth with the small Greek island of Kastellorizo that goes back 100 years. Constantine Kavouris was running a leather business on the south coast of Turkey during WW1, when he was informed that the German’s were preparing an attack against the French fleet at the port of his island Kastellorizo, which was controlled by France at the time. Constantine’s family was 30km away on the island. So he had to inform them at all costs. He decided to swim with two of his nephews to the port of the small Greek island to warn the French of the impending German attack. Braving the freezing waters, he and one of his nephews reached the shores of Kastellorizo at night and informed the French who moved their ships from the port, thus foiling the attack. Unfortunately one of his nephews died while swimming to the island. As a reward the French offered Constantine the option of moving to either Marseille or Australia and he chose the latter. To honour their forefather, his descendants in Perth organised a swimming event in his memory in Kastellorizo.
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