Community is one of the things regional Victoria does particularly well. Towns and cities across the regions have a strong sense of local identity, and are known for welcoming people who arrive from elsewhere.
"Living in regional Victoria is great…..People here are very nice – you walk down the street and everybody greets you with a 'g'day', it's a friendly community." Alinie Guerreiro from Brazil, settled in Warrnambool
A place where you belong
Moving to a new place, especially a new country, involves building a social life from scratch. Regional Victoria makes that process genuinely easy. Communities here are active, connected, and accessible. The social infrastructure of regional life: local clubs, volunteer organisations, neighbourhood events, community gardens, festivals, and markets, means there are immediate and genuine ways to meet people and put down roots.
The pace of regional life helps too. With commutes averaging 15-20 minutes in most regional centres, there's real time in your week for the things that build a social life.
Cultural diversity in the regions
Across regional Victoria, multicultural communities are well established, growing, and visible in everyday life. Community organisations, cultural centres, and places of worship provide immediate points of connection for people arriving from overseas.
These communities have built something real and lasting in regional Victoria, and they welcome others who want to do the same.
Multicultural communities are part of life across all of regional Victoria's towns and cities.
A few regions stand out for the depth and visibility of their cultural life:
Barwon South West
The Barwon South West region has more than 60 registered multicultural communities, with Geelong, the region's major city, home to Pako Festa, Victoria's largest free celebration of cultural diversity. Every February, over 100,000 people gather on Pakington Street to celebrate the region's cultural richness. Community organisations like Cultura and the Geelong Ethnic Communities Council support multicultural communities across the region year-round.
Hume
The Hume region is one of the most culturally diverse in regional Victoria. Shepparton, the region's largest city, is home to communities representing more than 40 nationalities, with cultural organisations, places of worship, and international food well established across the city and surrounding towns. Hume also has the largest First Nations population of any region in regional Victoria, with a rich cultural heritage that shapes community life across the region.
Loddon Mallee
The Loddon Mallee region has one of regional Australia's richest multicultural histories, shaped by Chinese migration during the gold rush era and by waves of new communities ever since. Bendigo's Golden Dragon Museum preserves that heritage, while the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, the largest Buddhist centre outside Asia, serves as an active cultural and spiritual hub for communities across the region. Every Easter, Bendigo's famous parade features Dai Gum Loong, the longest parade dragon in the world.
Getting involved
Regional Victoria has no shortage of ways to get involved and meet people.
Sporting clubs such as football, cricket, netball, soccer and basketball clubs are a cornerstone of regional community life and actively recruit new members. Volunteer organisations, community gardens, arts groups and local festivals are equally accessible.
Local councils publish events calendars and community directories that make it easy to find what's happening in your area. The My Community Directory lists community groups and organisations across Victoria. The Victorian Government's community profiles provide an overview of Victoria's multicultural communities by region.
“Victoria is a multicultural society – be open minded and take the opportunity to learn from other cultures." Nimitha Saji, from India, settled in Warrnambool