13/09/2026
La Storia Chapter 1
Renato & Anna Avolio
From Fagnano Castello, Calabria, Italy
Renato Avolio was born on 8 August 1939 in Fagnano Castello, Calabria, Italy. He was one of eight children, born at a time when life was not easy. Like many families in post-war Calabria, Renato grew up with very little, but with strong family values, resilience and a determination to make something of his life.
Anna Pompea De Rose was born in the same village on 2 February 1947. She was one of seven children and, like Renato, grew up surrounded by family and the close-knit community of Fagnano Castello.
In 1960, Renato made the brave decision to migrate to Australia, sponsored by his sister. Like so many Italians of his generation, he travelled by ship, leaving behind his family, friends and the village he knew, in search of a better future. Australia offered the promise of opportunity, hard work and the chance to build a secure life.
Five years later, in 1965, Anna followed, sponsored by her sister Maria. Her journey was different, travelling by plane to begin a new chapter in a country that was still completely unfamiliar to her. Coming from a large family, Anna’s father faced the difficult reality that he could not provide the opportunities he wanted for all his children. For Anna, Australia offered the chance to build a future of her own.
Although Renato and Anna came from the same small village in Calabria, their paths did not truly cross until they both arrived in Mareeba. There, thousands of kilometres from Fagnano Castello, they met and began their life together. They were married on 12 June 1966.
Together, Renato and Anna embraced the hard work that came with starting a new life in Australia. They worked tirelessly on to***co farms, saving and building towards a future for themselves and, eventually, their family.
In 1971, their hard work paid off when they purchased their own farm at Tabacum. After 15 successful years, they took another big step and purchased a larger property at Paddy’s Green, where they continued growing to***co until the Australian Government to***co industry buyout in 2004.
Always willing to adapt and work hard, Renato and Anna then turned their attention to other crops, growing mangoes, avocados and lychees. Their connection to the land remained an important part of their lives.
Together they raised four children — Patrizia, Laura, Angela and Marcello — and watched their family grow to include ten much-loved grandchildren, who became, and continue to be, a great source of pride and joy.
Sadly, Anna recently passed away, surrounded by the love of her family and close friends.
While her journey has come to an end, the life she built will continue through the people she loved most. Her strength, warmth, sacrifices and devotion to her family will be remembered by her children, grandchildren, family and friends.
From a small village in Calabria to a new life in Far North Queensland, Anna’s story is one of courage, love and family. It is a story shared by so many Italian migrants who left everything familiar behind, worked hard, and built a future for the generations that followed.
Anna may have left Fagnano Castello many years ago, but she never left behind the values, traditions and love for family that she carried with her. Her memory will live on in the family she built and in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.
