Bendigo, northwest of Victoria, is thriving economically because of a steady influx of new arrivals.
And migration has brought an injection of diversity to the old gold-rush town.
Since 2007, Karen refugees have been steadily settling in the former gold-rush town.
Commissioned by AMES Settlement Services, a Deloitte report has found the Karen community has injected almost 70 million dollars into Bendigo’s economy, creating almost 200 new jobs.
At a time the federal government is flagging a cut to Australia’s migrant intake, Community Engagement Officer at AMES Settlement Services, Laurie Nowell, says Bendigo represents the long-term success of its migrant settlements.
