Thon's experience is like so many others in Shepparton, a town with an identity that's undeniably shaped by its experience accepting waves of immigrants and refugees.



Led by immigrants, four mosques have been built, countless cafes, restaurants and service businesses opened by new residents, religious festivals celebrated, choirs formed – all seemingly without the angst seen elsewhere. The quiet existence of four mosques in Shepparton is in contrast to the violent protests witnessed in Bendigo just this week about the proposed building of one there. The two towns are only 120km apart.

Patterson said that while the city still faced challenges, and no one had the “formula for acceptance”, three factors contributed; experience, which negates fear, a concerted effort by council, health, government, community and cultural groups to help new arrivals and good ‘ole fashioned country hospitality.

“We have witnessed wave after wave of immigrants in our region, starting with the Italians and Greeks, who came to make a new life after the war. They picked fruit, worked hard and are now a vital part of the fabric of our society … they are the Goulburn Valley,” Patterson said.

“And that tradition – of people wanting to work hard, to make a better life after experiencing something awful – has continued with each successive wave; whether it’s people from ethnic minorities from Iraq or Afghanistan or those fleeing conflicts in other troubled parts of the world; like our most recent arrivals, from both north and south Sudan and the Congo,” he said.

“It’s not a big deal here anymore. We’ve lived it, we’ve seen the richness it brings. We’ve seen that people simply want a better life. They want to raise their families and be part of the community,” Patterson said.

Patterson also cited “tireless work by many, many good people over the years”, in proactively helping people settle into their new home – and culture. From specialist programs by local health providers to support from charities like St Vincent de Paul, to the establishment of an Ethnic Council, with dedicated case workers for different groups, to informal support groups and more, the web of community support is vast.

“It hasn’t just happened. Many people, who hold strong humanitarian beliefs, have actively worked to make the place welcoming. From the school principal taking extra time to understand a new students’ cultural differences to the charity workers buying second-hand fridges and having them delivered to a new family, to the work local council does; every small action makes a difference,” Patterson said.

The instinctively welcoming nature of country people also played a role, he said. “We do have the advantage of experience, but I think people tend to just be friendlier in the country too,” Patterson said. Such kindness is repaid. “At this year’s ANZAC Day ceremony, the Sikh community donated breakfast for the 400 or so people. It’s a great example of Shepparton. The past is the past, the future is the future.”

Like the mayor, Thon credits the “first wave” of Greeks, Italians, Macedonians and Albanians for breaking cultural ground. “They came into the area for the same reason as people today, to find work, to raise their families, to be safe. I think the community understands refugees because of what they did,” Thon said.

After initially finding work translating, Thon now works for the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District as a community development officer, helping other new arrivals find their feet. On paper, he works to help people “become self-reliant and participate equitably in Australian society as soon as possible after arrival.” In reality, he helps people, in the same way he was helped.