Moving to a new region or a new country, involves more than finding a job and a house. It involves building a life. Regional Victoria has the people, services, and community infrastructure to help you do exactly that.
Finding your feet
Regional Victoria offers real support from the moment you arrive. Local councils across the regions play an active role in welcoming new residents, connecting you with services, community networks, and local resources. Government-funded community health centres and local organisations provide wraparound support for new arrivals, covering practical needs like healthcare access, schooling, banking, and connection to government services.
First steps when you arrive
The first few weeks in a new place involve a lot of practical tasks. Here's a list of some of the most important things to get sorted early:
- Register with a GP: Finding a local GP is one of the first things to do. The HealthDirect Services Finder can help you find a bulk-billing practice near you.
- Set up a bank account: Most Australian banks allow you to open an account before you arrive. Bring your passport and visa documents to your nearest branch to complete the process.
- Get a Tax File Number (TFN): You'll need a TFN to work in Australia and access some government services. Apply through the Australian Taxation Office.
- Enrol children in school: Contact your local council or the Victorian Department of Education to find your nearest school and begin the enrolment process.
- Connect with a settlement service: A local settlement service can help you with many of the above and connect you with other support in your community. Ask your local council for services in your area.
- Get your overseas licence recognised: If you plan to drive, VicRoads has a process for converting overseas licences. Visit VicRoads for details.
For a full overview of practical information on living in Victoria, healthcare, transport, housing, banking, and more, visit the 'Live in Melbourne' page.
Practical support for new arrivals
Across regional Victoria, settlement services help new arrivals navigate the practical realities of starting out. Depending on your region and visa type, this can include help with finding a home, enrolling children in school, registering with a GP, understanding your rights at work, and accessing government services.
English language programs are available for adults at all levels. These programs are not just about language, they're one of the fastest ways to build local connections and start to feel at home in your new community.
Settlement services often include employment support, help with resume writing, understanding the local job market, professional recognition of overseas qualifications, and connections to employers actively seeking your skills. Regional employers are experienced in working with new arrivals, and many have strong relationships with local settlement organisations.
Finding a settlement service
Each region has a range of settlement services to help you and your family get established. Local councils and community organisations are listed on each of the region pages, and are a great place to start.
Barwon South West
Gippsland
Grampians
Hume
Loddon Mallee
Building your social life
One of the most common questions people have before moving to a new area is how they’ll settle in. Regional Victoria has a rich social fabric, and plenty of ways to become part of it.
Sporting clubs, volunteer organisations, community gardens, local festivals, libraries and neighbourhood events are the fabric of regional community life, and they are genuine entry points to meeting new people. Joining a local cricket club, volunteering with a community group, or attending a regional food festival are real ways that people in regional Victoria form lasting friendships.
Schools and childcare centres also play an important role, with family networks that help new arrivals connect with other parents and the wider community.
In regional Victoria, the rhythm of daily life creates space for social activities that help you build connections and feel at home. When your commute is fifteen minutes, your evenings and weekends belong to you.
Connecting with your community
Regional Victoria's multicultural communities are well established and continuing to grow.
Barwon South West
Geelong is home to more than 60 registered multicultural communities and hosts Pako Festa, Victoria's largest free celebration of cultural diversity, every February. People from India, the Philippines, England, and New Zealand are among the well-established communities across the region.
Gippsland
Gippsland has a diverse and growing population, with long-established communities from England, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and New Zealand settled across the region's towns and cities.
Grampians
The Grampians region has a multicultural history shaped by successive waves of migration. Ballarat has well-established Indian and Filipino communities, while the Wimmera reflects a more distinctive mix including Burmese and Thai backgrounds around Horsham and Hindmarsh.
Hume
Hume is one of regional Victoria's most culturally diverse regions. Shepparton is home to communities from more than 40 nationalities, including strong Indian and Afghan communities, and the region has the largest First Nations population in regional Victoria.
Loddon Mallee
Bendigo's multicultural character is anchored by a deep Chinese heritage, visible in the Golden Dragon Museum and the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, the largest Buddhist centre outside Asia. Further north, Mildura and Swan Hill have among the highest proportions of Malaysian and Vietnamese residents of any regional Victorian community.
"The local community in regional Victoria is very supportive, everyone comes forward to help each other." Awais Ali-Warriach from Pakistan, settled in Woodside (Gippsland)
The Victorian Government's community profiles provide an overview of Victoria's diverse multicultural communities.
Across the regions, local councils publish community directories to help you find groups, organisations, and events in your area. The My Community Directory lists community groups and organisations across Victoria.
Multicultural organisations, places of worship, and community groups also provide ways to connect. These are not formal services, they are communities of people who have made regional Victoria their home and are ready to welcome others.