COLOURFUL clobber – from homemade dresses to a hat with a drinking straw – was the order of Australia Day for many at Wodonga’s party.
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Rockabilly musician Peter Kulerski opted for headwear adorned with a flag and two drink holders he used for Bundaberg ginger beer.
“I had this hat stored away for six years and thought I would take it out and make a fool of myself for one day,” he said.
Grandmother Ruth Turner had Australian-shaped earrings, an umbrella hat with dangling pictures and flag-inspired dress made by a friend.
“I just love dressing up for the day,” she said.
The theme of patriotic attire extended to one of the new citizens – Shirley Lacey.
She wore a sequinned dress featuring the Australian flag to mark her naturalisation.
There were 35 men, women and children who became Australians at Wodonga’s Les Stone Park.
Father-of-two Thaminder Sandhu moved from Punjab to Melbourne ten years ago as a student and is now a Melbourne to Sydney truck driver.
He said Australia’s rule of law appealed to him and he had become a citizen “to have a sense of belonging”.
The Rai sisters, Jeena, 14, and Rina, 16, joined mother Gopi and father Chhatra in naturalisation.
The Bhutanese refugees arrived in Australia in 2011 and were beaming with their new status.
“It means freedom, happiness, everything,” Jeena said.