 With the declining economic situation and impending war in Europe, his uncle encouraged him to migrate to Australia to seek better opportunities.Aged 16 or 17, Ricetti arrived at Port Pirie, South Australia, in October 1914.He worked at Port Pirie for a few months before heading off to Broken Hill where he stayed at the Ceccato boarding house (signed-on as being 18 years old) and obtained work in the mines with Valentino Ceccato and Francesco Bicego.