Canberra

The Estonian Embassy in Canberra was opened in February of 2015. The Australian Embassy in Tallinn was opened on 23 April 2018.

Estonian Ambassador to Australia and New-Zealand is  Kersti Eesmaa. Ambassador presented his credentials to Australian Governor-General David Hurley on 7 August 2019 and New-Zealand Governor-General Patsy Reddy on 29 january 2020. The Embassy is also accredited to Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

Estonia has eight honorary consuls in Australia: Anu Ethel van Hattem in Perth (consular area: Western Australia), Delaney Michael Skerrett in Brisbane (South Queensland), Peter Thomas Sexton in Hobart (Tasmania),  Matthew James Sorell in Adelaide (South Australia), Lembit Villem Marder in Melbourne (Victoria), Sulev Kalamäe in Sydney (New South Wales) and Kevin Stephens in Darwin (Northern Territory).

Visits

Agreements

• The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Estonia and the Government of Australia Relating to Working Holiday Visas entered into force on 20 May 2005
• On 15 September 2015, the Social Security Agreement between the Republic of Estonia and Australia was signed, which entered into force in January 2018

 

Cultural Relations

Estonian culture has been introduced in Australia by many Estonian artists and musicians, including the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste, Camerata Tallinn, the Ellerhein choir, pianists Tanel Joamets and Toomas Vana, composer Arvo Pärt (an honorary doctor of the University of Sydney), the Endla theatre of Pärnu, the Tallinn University of Technology Men’s Choir, conductor Neeme Järvi with the oratorio Jonah’s Mission, and others.

• Arvo Volmer was the Music Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2013, and its Principal Guest Conductor from 2013 to 2015. In the summer of 2010, the Puccini opera The Girl of the West, produced by him, premiered at the Sydney Opera House; in 2012, he conducted two operas at the venue, Aida by Verdi and Turandot by Puccini
• Erkki-Sven Tüür performed a concert in Sydney on 19 November 2011
• On 1-13 November 2012 an exhibition entitled forEST with Estonian jewellery artists Linda al-Assi, Anni Kagovere, Merle Kasonen, and Maarja Niinemägi was displayed at the Gaffa Gallery in Sydney
• The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir visited Australia in April 2013 and on 7 April performed a concert on the works of Arvo Pärt at the Sydney Opera House
• In November and December 2013, the library of the Art Gallery NSW hosted the exhibition of Estonian and Australian bookbinders that included works by 11 Estonian bookbinders
• In 2014, the first Baltic Film Festival was held in Sydney, with screenings of Seenelkäik and Regilaul
• In July 2014, the 12th World Harp Congress in Sydney included the Una Corda ensemble that also gave a concert at the Estonian House in Sydney
• From March to May 2015, works by the Estonian bookbinders were exhibited at the Hobart Town Hall in Tasmania; the exhibition In Memories of Motion that ran from March to April 2015 at the Sydney .M Contemporary gallery included works by Estonian artist Jaanika Peenra
• In 2015, the Estonian film Risttuules (In the Crosswind) was screened at the Baltic Film Festival in Sydney
• Ivo Linna and Antti Kammiste gave a series of concerts in the Estonian Houses of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in February 2016; in March, Anne Veski performed at the Estonian House in Sydney
• In January 2016, the international film festival Flickerfest in Sydney screened the Estonian short film Piano
• In February 2018, Australia was treated to performances by folk dance groups Tarbatu and Sõprus, the Rõõmusõnum choir and the village chapel of Väägvere that also performed in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide on the occasion of Estonia’s centenary celebrations
• In February and March 2018, the E Studio youth choir toured Australia, performing at sold out venues in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide; they also performed at the formal reception held on the occasion of Estonia’s centenary at the Estonian Embassy in Canberra