By Colin MacGillivray
DOZENS of Mitchell Shire residents celebrated last week as they became official Australian citizens during Australia Day celebrations in Seymour.
Among the group of newly-minted residents were Robert and Grace Bayana, who were born in Zimbabwe and moved to Australia after 18 years of living in the United Kingdom.
Ms Bayana said her family enjoyed the ‘chilled out’ atmosphere of their new home, and were excited about the opportunities citizenship would present.
The couple both work as mental health nurses, and Ms Bayana said citizenship would allow them to further their studies.
“I like to study, and now I am able to get a HECS [Higher Education Contribution Scheme] loan. When I did my masters of mental health nursing I had to pay $18,000 up front because I couldn’t get a loan,” she said.
“Now if I want to pursue my PhD I can get a loan, and our kids can also choose the courses they want to do and they’re not limited by finances.”
The family initially moved to Bendigo but relocated to Beveridge after two years.
Ms Bayana said after some initial trepidation, the couple’s children had come to love Australia.
“Initially they didn’t want to move here, but a year ago [my daughter] said ‘mum that was the best decision’,” she said.
“Her friends in England see her having fun. The kids are happy.”
Mr Bayana said the Australian lifestyle suited his family.
“We’re happy and we’re excited,” he said.
“Everything is nice and relaxed. We love that.”
