Council & Politics
1 October, 2025
Ararat celebrates Welcoming Week
ARARAT Rural City Council marked Welcoming Week last Sunday with a community function at the Gordon Street Recreation Reserve.
Welcoming Week is a national initiative that brings together members of the community to affirm the importance of building welcoming and inclusive communities.
Ararat Rural City Council has supported the initiative for some years and has been an active advocate for programs attracting new residents from around the world.
Deputy Mayor Bob Sanders said he was proud of Ararat’s record of being an inclusive community.
“Our rural city has continued to be a place where people come to build a new life, start a business, or raise a family. The newcomers who make their home here greatly enrich our community by bringing new perspectives, ideas, and traditions that strengthen our region's social fabric.
“It's so good to see familiar faces and so many new ones as we come together to celebrate Welcoming Week,” Cr Sanders said.
“Today, we're celebrating the diversity that makes Ararat Rural City such a wonderful place to call home.
“This is what Welcoming Week is all about. It's a reminder that we are all neighbours, all members of the same community, and that our shared future depends on us embracing and supporting one another,” he said.
“Ararat Rural City is also an official Welcoming City, and Council is dedicated to making sure everyone, including migrants, refugees, and people from diverse backgrounds, feels a sense of belonging. We want everyone to participate fully in community life here, and we recognise the incredible work that happens in our community every day to make this a reality.”
President of the Grampians chapter of Rural Australians for Refugees, Harry Collins, said Ararat was a warm and welcoming place he’s proud to call home.
“Ararat is a place that makes you feel welcome and safe and that’s why we’re happy to be here,” Mr Collins said.
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