In the early twentieth century , Chileans began immigrating to Australia with the 1901 census showing 90 Chilean nations in the country . Migration to Australia would increase in the 1970s after the 1973 Chilean coup d'état when several thousand Chileans left the country escaping political persecution . In December 1989 , Chile returned to democracy . In 1993 , President Patricio Aylwin became the first Chilean head of state to pay an official visit to Australia . In 2004 , Prime Minister John Howard became the first Australian head of government to visit Chile and to attend the APEC Summit
APEC Summit
APEC Chile 2004
Australia–Chile relations