By Margaret Maccoll
The Clare family wanted a lifestyle change when they set off from Bolton in England about a decade ago for Australia and they found it in Noosa.
They travelled right around the country before discovering the perfect destination at Peregian Beach.
“It’s a million miles away from Bolton. It traditionally has cotton mills because it rains so much,” Yvonne said.
On Australia Day Yvonne Clare became the last one in her family to gain citizenship, having missed out two years before when she went home to visit her sick mother while the rest of the family pledged their allegiance.
Siya Prakash was very excited to see her mother, Sini, obtain citizenship as she and her father Moses already have.
Siya and Yvonne joined 21 other people from the UK, Germany, Brazil, India and the United States who became Australian citizens.
Also among them were Anthony and Aine who came to Noosa in 1994 backpacking as boyfriend and girlfriend. “She always wanted to come back,” Anthony said of his now wife, so the couple and their two children now call Australia home.
The citizenship ceremony was attended by family and friends and presided over by Mayor Tony Wellington.
