The former villa of Hungarian goldsmith Ernő Levényi hosted the Australian-Hungarian Day, where more than 600 guests enjoyed a showcase of Hungarian culture, music, dance and gastronomy in a unique historical setting.
The Buda Historic Home & Garden in Castlemaine, Victoria, served as the venue for the festival on 18 April 2026. Visitors were able to sample a wide range of Hungarian dishes, from pastries to stuffed cabbage and goulash, as well as fried sausages and the ever-popular lángos. The musical programme spanned Hungarian folk music and folk songs, operetta and contemporary pop, featuring performances by the Pityu and Ági band and the Australian Vardos Ensemble, which is dedicated to promoting Hungarian musical heritage.
Some of the Hungarian dancers appeared on stage in authentic regional folk costumes. Endre Domaniczky, head of the Consular Office of Hungary in Melbourne, gave a presentation on the Levényi family’s ties to Hungary and the life of Ernő Levényi.
For more than half a century, Castlemaine was home to the Hungarian goldsmith and silversmith Ernő Levényi (Ernest Leviny, 1818-1905), who arrived in Melbourne in 1853 during the Australian gold rush. His cups and jewellery, which blend European and Australian motifs, can still be found in the collections of several Australian museums. His home, the Buda Villa – named after the Hungarian capital – stands both as a memorial to an early Hungarian immigrant and as a keeper of the family’s legacy. Since the 1980s, the local Hungarian community has regularly organised events in the villa’s garden.
