Wednesday, 12 November 2025

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (13:43): There is a saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, and that was certainly the case in Warrnambool on Saturday when I had the pleasure of attending the Warrnambool Multicultural Festival. In the cold and the wind and the rain many locals, undeterred, turned up. They came out in force to support this really fantastic event. It had an incredible buzz about it. It highlighted just how important it is to have events like these to recognise and celebrate multicultural communities in regional Victoria, where there are barriers to inclusion and they can be more keenly felt.

A day of food, music, dance and activities reflected the multicultural, vibrant, diverse community that is the Warrnambool region. I had great chats with different stallholders, who ranged from the infamous Warrnambool Community Garden and Neighbourhood and Community Centre to those raising funds for Ukrainian civilians and local youth workers. I enjoyed delicious Iraqi food for lunch while listening to some incredible African drumming. Congratulations to all of the organisers, including the Warrnambool Multicultural Association and Carlos Lopez, who showed us around. It was a truly brilliant day, and I really look forward to joining again next year.