Melody can finally (officially) call Australia home

It has taken more than 30 years, but as of Australia Day, Melody Matthews can now say she is Australian. 

 Melody was among the group of new Australians who took the Australian Citizenship pledge at Tuesday’s Australia Day Celebrations in Cook Park.

“I wasn't expecting it to be at a big public event. I thought I'd probably get a letter and go to the council chambers and get my certificate, but I’m looking for forward to it,” said Melody when we caught up with her on Friday.

“I doesn't really change anything as I've lived here for over 30 years… It is just formalising it, I guess.”

Melody was a teenager when her family left the North Island of New Zealand for Australia more than 30 years ago. Her parents became citizens not long after arriving, but at the time, Melody said it didn’t feel quite right.

“My parents asked me then and I though, no not yet. Unfortunately it has taken me such a long time now to do so! It was one of those things you know that was on my list, but I never got around to it.”

Melody made her home in Orange 16 months ago after deciding she needed a tree change.

“Orange was the place to go to for me in terms of getting out of the rat race in Sydney.

One of my siblings is in Orange with her family, so I have close connections and have always been coming here just for my time out… leaving my previous job after 24 years, I decided that I just needed a bit of a lifestyle change, and because my family is already here, I decided to move.”

Melody began her citizenship journey shortly before leaving Sydney, determined to officially make Australia her home.

“I thought I think it is about time. I couldn't see myself ever leaving and even though I'm originally from New Zealand, you still take your values and your beliefs from where you are and all my adult life has been in Australia,” she said.

“I asked myself the question: where does my future lie? Where can you see yourself? I came here in my teens, but I’ve grown up with the Australian values and I just love living here.

My future is here in Australia, my friends are here in Australia and so I thought well it is the time I became an Australian Citizen.”

Congratulations and welcome to all our new citizens!