When Thomas Lual arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2001, little did he know the role the seaside city of Warrnambool would play in his life.
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Mr Lual paid homage to the city on Monday, December 11, 2023, when he was the guest speaker at a ceremony hosted by Warrnambool City Council.
The occasion included Warrnambool mayor Ben Blain signing on the dotted line to officially recognise the municipality as a Refugee Welcome Zone.
In 2003, Mr Lual was among a group who came to Warrnambool as part of a program to re-locate refugees to regional areas.
It was the welcome his family received in Warrnambool that had him point out the signing was an undoubted formality.
"We were warmly welcomed by the local government and the community," Mr Lual said.
"Today is just a matter of signing a document to make it official."
A father-of-four, including AFL draftee Luamon, Mr Lual said his family felt like part of the community.
"I have had a very positive experience here and we are very fortunate," Mr Lual said.
Cr Blain said the council's commitment to a diverse and multicultural community was evident through its involvement in the Designated Area Migration Agreement.
Rebecca Langton from the Refugee Council of Australia joined the signing ceremony remotely from Sydney.
Ms Langton said Warrnambool was the 174th council to sign up as a Refugee Welcome Zone.
She said local government was crucial for the role it plays at grassroots level in welcoming refugees.
She also touched on the history of the Warrnambool area in regards to refugees, noting former Prime Minister and member for Wannon Malcolm Fraser was a staunch refugee supporter.
Mr Fraser was also a patron of the Refugee Council of Australia.
