SIX Wimmera residents became Australian citizens at a ceremony held at Horsham Civic Centre on Wednesday, June 29.
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Horsham Rural City Council mayor Robyn Gulline and Lowan member Emma Kealy were in attendance to take the new citizens' oaths.
Horsham Rural City Council officiates about six ceremonies per year on behalf of the Australian Government and all new citizens receive a native plant as a gift from Council to mark the special occasion.
Ms Kealy said it was important to reflect on Australia's diversity of culture.
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"We are so proud to have you choose Australia as your new home. I think it is important to understand that in Australia we come from a multicultural background," she said.
"We have hundreds of thousands of years of indigenous history and many of our families have arrived by boat or arrived by air and have chosen to call Australia home."
She also encouraged the new citizens to celebrate their unique place within the wider community.
"Every single person who comes to Australia and calls themselves Australian brings their own special thread which creates the fabric of our community," she said.
"It is really important to me, and to all of us, that you bring your own special flair to being Australian, so we can understand what makes you special as an Australian."
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