68 ADULTS and 30 children from seventeen different countries received their Australian Citizenship on Australia Day, Thursday 26 January, presented in Coffs Harbour at the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden by City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Paul Amos and General Manager Natalia Cowley.

The citizenship ceremony followed the presentation of the Coffs Harbour Australia Day Awards.

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The ceremony was attended by family and friends of the 98 new Australians along with Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh and Councillor Scott Wolgamot.

“I’m excited for my first Australia Day Awards and citizenship ceremony in Coffs Harbour,” said Ms Cowley, who took up her current role in July 2022.

To open the occasion officially, members of the local Country Women’s Association (CWA) raised three flags: the Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Island flag.

“Four out of the nine ladies in the flag party, from both Coffs Harbour and Sawtell Branches of CWA of NSW have been naturalised; three from the UK and one from New Zealand,” Jodie Williams, Coffs Harbour CWA Branch President told News Of The Area.

“We all felt incredibly honoured to be asked to raise the flags and then actually raising the flags in front of our wonderful community and so many new Australians put a lump in all of our throats, it was incredibly moving raising the flags to the National Anthem and an experience that won’t be easily surpassed.

“We also supplied 300 lamingtons, 300 ANZAC biscuits and 100 slices of vegemite on bread.

“All homemade of course,” said Jodie.

Gumbaynggirr ranger Matt Flanders from Coramba delivered a Smoking Ceremony.

Matt, the son of the late elder Uncle Mark Flanders, spoke of his family’s history living along the Coffs Creek for many years, fishing the waterways and hunting across the land.

“We must pay our respects and acknowledge where we are, acknowledging old people for the past and into the future, and everyone that’s here today,” said Matt.

“We all come here with good intentions, and we mean to be here with good intentions, and we want to leave bad stuff behind so we are all safe.

“We pay our respects to our land that we walk on, our trees, our plants and all of the animals.

“We look after all that surrounds us and the land will look after us,” he said.

Matt walked around the gathering with his smoking bowl allowing everyone to take in the smoke.

“Cleanse ourselves in our smoke and leave all that bad stuff away and bring in all the good,” he said.

“Chase away the bad spirits…cover yourselves, take it in and embrace it.”

In welcoming everyone on the day, Natalia Cowley said, “We commit ourselves to a future with reconciliation and renewal at its heart.”

She also encouraged everyone to stay on after the presentations to indulge in some Lamingtons.

“A classic Aussie cake,” she said.

Mayor Paul Amos then spoke, acknowledging “our wonderful country, a wonderful city, a wonderful setting on what’s turned out to be a wonderful day”.

A musical interlude saw Coffs City Choir sing ‘I am Australian’ before the 98 locals were presented with certificates and a gift of a native plant from a selection provided by a local grower.

“I was very pleased to be the first to congratulate the City of Coffs Harbour’s newest Australian Citizens,” Mayor Paul Amos said.

By Andrea FERRARI