By Eleanor Wilson
The cold and wet weather was no deterrent for Casey locals on Sunday 26 June, who turned up in their hundreds in Hampton Park to celebrate Refugee Week with the Southern Migrant Resource Centre.
Henna adorned arms, bright traditional dresses and a yellow, sequin embellished lion costume were among the standout features at Arthur Wren Hall, as around 800 families and locals enjoyed a day filled with culture.
SMRC’s Jessica Chen said the celebration exceeded expectations.
“The event went really well, we were amazed by the turnout,” she said.
A range of groups flew their cultural flags with performances including Bollywood dancing, lion dancing, Chinese fan dancing and a Hazara fashion show.
The Monash Health Vaccination bus assisted in administering eight Covid vaccinations and 20 Influenza vaccinations.
Bruce MP Julian Hill was also present at the event, chatting with locals and enjoying the cultural display.
The strong cohort of multicultural residents in the municipality is also reflected in new census data, which shows 59 per cent of Casey residents have parents who were both born overseas.
