General News
2 August, 2024
New citizens welcomed
Nine locals can officially call themselves Australian citizens following a heartwarming ceremony this week.
The newest citizens received their Australian citizenship at the Maryborough Community Hub Tuesday morning.
While many originally hail from some of our closest neighbours in New Zealand and the Philippines, some have come from the other side of the world including Canada and England to live in Australia.
Among the new citizens is Nanita Estorum, who said she now feels more connected to the town she has called home for six years.
“I had someone sponsor me to come over here from the Philippines in 2016 and I thought that I’d love to stay here and become an Australian citizen,” she said.
“It was very important to me to become an Australian citizen so I can join the community — I like to serve the community, Maryborough is a nice town, the people here are very good and it’s a safe and peaceful area.”
Fellow new citizen Philip Blackburn, who moved from Yorkshire in England to Ballarat in 2012 before moving to Maryborough three years ago, said Australia has been very welcoming to him and his family.
“It’s a proud day, it’s nice to be starting a new chapter in my life as an Australian,” he said.
“I moved to Australia because I wanted a different life, my dad was a ten pound pom back in the 1960s, and life in Australia was always sort of talked about.
“Eventually me and my sister both moved here and now we are both citizens.
“I have two young children as well and it’s important they are both here as well and we all become a part of the same culture and the same country.”
The further seven new citizens are Daena Berry, Cindy Bradley-Caligiuri, Violeta Cabaloza, Daniel McGregor, Keri Mclean, Christopher Palmer and Maria Raceles.