Bendigo Community Health Services is helping showcase the Loddon Valley to Karen refugees, via a unique day trip that has potential to influence the new arrivals and the places they visit.
The excursion is the idea of Loddon Mallee Community Leadership Program graduate Jan Pagliaro, who was inspired by the remarkable impact of new arrivals on other Victorian rural towns.
“I took the idea from what’s happened in Nhill and Pyramid Hill,” Jan said. “Those towns were being decimated by an aging population and no new families coming in, so they got together as a community and invited in new arrivals.
“There are now Filipino people living in Pyramid Hill and Karen people in Nhill. They’ve saved the local football club, the businesses and schools. So I thought, why can’t we do that closer to home?”
In Nhill, Karen New Year is now a whole-of-town event. Some once-empty heritage shop fronts are home to Karen-owned businesses. Karen people are employed at 12 separate employers. And many families have bought their own houses in the town.
Jan received funding for the excursion from Eastweb, which supports projects benefiting refugee communities in Victoria. Then she secured assistance from BCHS to make the day happen. BCHS manages the region’s humanitarian settlement program in partnership with AMES Australia.
“I came to Bendigo Community Health Services and I knew straight away I was in the right place when they said, what do you need? It brings me to tears just thinking about it,” Jan said.
Settlement Services team member Nay Chee Aung booked the bus out within a week, with almost 50 new arrivals keen to explore what the towns northwest of Bendigo have to offer.
He said excursion-goers have all arrived from refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border between four weeks and eight months ago.
“It’s going to be good for people to explore and learn about the area outside of Bendigo, because a lot are stuck at home and don’t know where to go,” Nay Chee said. “It’s also an opportunity for them to connect with other families.”
The Friday, April 28 itinerary will see people visit the Inglewood Eucalyptus Distillery Museum, Saluté Oliva at Boort, sample Red Dog Chillies from Fernihurst, enjoy a Lions Club barbecue and tour a Bridgewater farm, then finish the afternoon fishing by the Loddon River.
“Karen people have lived in the forest for most of their lives,” BCHS’ Ku Htee said. “They love nature, so part of this trip is also about exploring nature again.”
Jan hoped the day would expose Karen people to the possibilities of the Loddon Valley, which offers more affordable house prices, agricultural employment opportunities, and a peaceful, laid-back lifestyle.
“And out of these people there will be leaders,” Jan said. “We know our new arrivals are some of the best entrepreneurs in Australia, and communities like Inglewood and Boort need entrepreneurs.”
Pictured: BCHS’ Po Tu with handfuls of donated fishing rods, which will be gifted to Karen people as part of the Loddon Valley tour.
