Filmmaker Arman Merchant has created a short film about Parramatta's food culture, commissioned by Diversity Arts Australia. Titled Flavours of Parramatta, the film uses cinematic visuals to present the area's culinary diversity. Merchant, an award-winning cinematographer and director based in Sydney, said the project aimed to represent diversity through an authentic point of view. The film was made through the Creative Pathways Parramatta program, which supports artists from diverse backgrounds. It has been completed and colour-graded for social media distribution.
The Greek Community of Geelong has marked 70 years since it was founded in April 1956 by a small group of Greek immigrants. Those first members met on Swanston Street to elect a board, and the community later built a church and a Greek school. Today it has around 300 to 400 families. President Andrew Alexander says the community is now focused on engaging young people and planning its next 25 years. He credits the sacrifices of the first immigrants for the community's achievements.
Melbourne KMCC marked its seventh anniversary on Sunday, 25 October, at Burnside Children's and Community Centre. Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, president of the Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala, attended as chief guest. Members of Parliament Steve McGhie and Lee Tarlamis also attended and praised the group's charitable and community work. Chairman Shiyas Khalid thanked members, volunteers and the executive committee. The organisation said it will keep focusing on community service and charitable activity.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Roqya Husseini, deputy chair of Cultura's Multicultural Youth Council, has received the Victorian Refugee Youth Leadership Award. The honour recognises her leadership, advocacy and commitment to a fairer society. Governor of Victoria Margaret Gardner and Minister for Multicultural Affairs Paul Edbrooke presented the award at Government House on Wednesday 14 October. Husseini works with young people from diverse cultural communities to advocate for their issues and increase representation of young people from refugee backgrounds. Cultura chief executive Jess Harper said the organisation was incredibly proud of her work.
Payal Tiwari, a 45-year-old engineer and former management consultant, is the Greens' candidate for the Victorian state election in the Labor-held seat of Kalkallo. She moved to Australia as a child in 1991 and has worked with organisations addressing family violence. Tiwari's priorities include a Beveridge train station, a hospital at Cloverton, and a high school, citing under-representation of multicultural communities in Victorian politics.
More than 350 people gathered at Edge Hill State School in Cairns on Saturday 17 October 2026 for the annual Durga Puja celebration run by Cairns Bongo Group. The event marked 14 years of sharing Bengali traditions with the wider community. Cairns Mayor Amy Eden and councillors Anna Middleton and Cathy Zeiger attended. Highlights included Sindoor Khela, a farewell ritual to Goddess Durga, cultural performances by local children, live Bengali and Bollywood music, a vegetarian lunch, a sweet-making competition and an international photography competition themed Festivity.
Dylan Wight MP, the member for Tarneit, joined the Bengali community at the West Melbourne Durga Utsav 2026 festival in Hoppers Crossing on 10 and 11 October. The two-day event, organised by Bongosathi, featured religious ceremonies, music, dance and cultural performances. It coincided with Maha Ashtami, a significant day of Durga Puja marked by prayer and community gatherings. Wight thanked Bongosathi for the warm welcome and said the visit recognised the contribution of multicultural communities in Melbourne's western suburbs.
Brisbane's Bengali community came together to celebrate Durga Puja, bringing colour, devotion and a strong sense of community to the city. Shadow Minister for Multicultural Queensland Charis Mullen and Griffith MP Renee Coffey attended, along with Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Lord Mayor Schrinner praised the event for its energy and community spirit and thanked the Bengali Society of Queensland for its welcome. The festival offers an opportunity to share Bengali traditions and heritage with the wider community.
Australia's first Vietnamese museum has opened in Sunshine, in Melbourne's west, on Saturday 17 October. The Vietnamese Museum Australia aims to preserve the history and experiences of Vietnamese Australians, including those who arrived as refugees. The project received $9.7 million from the federal government and $8.6 million from the Victorian Government, plus community fundraising. Brimbank City Council also opened Wominjeka Plaza, a public space honouring Traditional Owners and the area's multicultural communities. The museum's chief executive, Tammy Nguyen, said it would help preserve the stories of more than 350,000 Australians of Vietnamese origin.
A citizenship ceremony in Coffs Harbour welcomed 120 new Australian citizens from 36 countries last week. Officiated by Mayor Nikki Williams and local MP Gurmesh Singh, the event drew more than 400 family and friends. Speakers encouraged the new citizens to volunteer and give back to the community. Among them was Sien Tedjo, who from Indonesia helps newcomers settle into local life through a monthly multicultural lunch at Jetty Park. Other new citizens shared their reasons for making Coffs Harbour home.
The Adelaide Telangana Association has celebrated Bathukamma, a traditional Telangana festival of flowers, at a reception in the South Australian Parliament. Minister for Multicultural Affairs Nadia Clancy hosted the event, which brought together the Telangana community and shared the festival with the wider state. Association founder Adireddy Yara said the gathering showcased Telangana's heritage and South Australia's diversity. Bathukamma is traditionally celebrated by women, with floral arrangements central to the festivities, which include songs, dances and community gatherings.
Tamworth, Armidale and Narrabri are holding festivals this weekend. Tamworth's free Fiesta La Peel runs from 4pm to 9pm on Saturday 17 October at Bicentennial Park, with more than 16 performances and over 30 food stalls. In Armidale, the Creative Streets Festival opens with a night event on Saturday and runs until 9 November, and the inaugural New England Regional Film Festival also begins on 17 October. Narrabri hosts the NSW Rural Women's Gathering, which is sold out, but its keynotes and panel will be livestreamed from 9am to 1.30pm.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn has been named Patron of the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia. The announcement was made at the FECCA 2026 National Conference in Canberra. Ms Mostyn said she holds a deep commitment to fairness and inclusion, and that social cohesion is foundational to democracy. FECCA chair Peter Doukas OAM welcomed the appointment. FECCA chief executive Prerana Mehta said the organisation looks forward to working with Ms Mostyn on social cohesion and multicultural women.
Two women from Victoria's Indian community were honoured at the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence at Government House. Saleha Singh was inducted into the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll, and Malavika Kadwadkar won the Prevention of Family Violence Award. Singh has spent more than a decade supporting multicultural communities on family violence, refugee support and advocacy. Kadwadkar has worked for more than two decades in women's health, multicultural engagement and family violence prevention. Governor Margaret Gardner and Premier Ben Carroll praised the recipients and the state's diversity.
Multicultural Health Week 2026 in NSW encouraged physical activity for mental health, with a focus on accessible health information for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The campaign, themed “Improving our mental health and wellbeing through physical activity”, was launched at the State Library of NSW by Health Minister Ryan Park and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson. Resources, including factsheets in 41 languages and a new online portal for vaccination information, remain available year-round to support community health and vaccination efforts.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
More than 1,300 people gathered at Arthur Wren Hall in Hampton Park on Saturday, 10 October, for the Casey Saathi Diwali Market. The event featured more than 40 stalls, children's activities and free entry. Organised by Saathi Multicultural Association of Australia Inc. with support from the City of Casey, it gave small business owners a chance to showcase their products. Saathi founder Chanchal Kumavat said the day brought families and entrepreneurs together. Three volunteers received the Saathi Empowerment Award for their service.
Members of Cairns' Nepalese and Bhutanese communities joined other local residents at a free meditation and wellbeing retreat at the Seville Mercy Centre on Wednesday, 7 October. The event was hosted by Centacare FNQ as part of Queensland Mental Health Week. Visiting facilitator Swami Yog Nityanand, also known as Anil Nepal, led the session with Ma Krisha, or Tulsa Gautam. Swami Yog Nityanand is expected to stay in Far North Queensland to run further workshops and training sessions with local Nepalese and Bhutanese communities.
Brisbane's Indian and multicultural communities will gather at Mount Gravatt Showgrounds on Saturday, 31 October, for HCA Deepavali 2026. The Hindu Council of Australia is hosting the free evening event from 4pm to 9pm, though registration is required. Planned attractions include a traditional Ramleela, cultural performances, food stalls, fireworks and a laser show. A 30-foot Ravan effigy is expected to be burned in the Ravan Dahan ceremony, which is traditionally associated with the victory of good over evil.
