Two refugee families from vastly different troublespots – Syria and Venezuela – found new lives thanks to settlement in Tweed Shire. To mark Harmony Day, they share their feelings with us.
Fatemah, her older sister Tunis and her teenage son and daughter, arrived in Murwillumbah in the middle of March 2025. Tweed Welcomes Refugees supported them from their arrival at Brisbane airport, finding accommodation, assisting with school enrolments, linking to intense language support as well as registration with Centrelink and finding their feet in our community. They moved to Melbourne at the end of November 2025.
Here are their words.
Hello, I’m Fatemah
Murwillumbah was the first place I lived in when I arrived in Australia, and I stayed there for eight months. This quiet town in Northern New South Wales is surrounded by nature, giving it a calm and comforting atmosphere.
Life there was simple and free from the rush of big cities, which helped me adjust during my early days in a new country. The quiet streets, green spaces, and the nearby Tweed River made Murwillumbah a perfect place for a fresh start, where everything felt slower and more manageable.
What truly made Murwillumbah special, however, was not only the place but the people. They were incredibly kind, welcoming, and supportive. From the very beginning, I felt safe and accepted. Their smiles, patience, and willingness to help made the experience of starting over much easier.
During the eight months I spent there, I learned that a place is not defined only by its beauty, but by the kindness of the people who live in it. Murwillumbah will always be remembered as my first home in Australia — a peaceful beginning shaped by nature and strengthened by kind hearts.
From Carmen and Mayra, who arrived in Murwillumbah from Venezuela at the end of 2023 and were supported by Tweed Welcomes Refugees. They now live in Kingscliff and work in Residential Care in Murwillumbah.
We feel a deep gratitude towards this land that we now call home. We arrived with suitcases full of dreams, but our words were trapped.
At first, the language wasn’t just a communication barrier, but a wall that made us feel like outsiders.
Learning to speak again was an exercise in humility; each halting phrase was a step toward our new identity here.
Despite the initial fear and lack of acquaintances, this land taught us that family is not only what you leave behind, but what you build along the way.
Australia welcomed us during our most uncertain times and gave us the tools to turn this unknown country into our true home.
Behind every word learned and every goal achieved is the support of those who never let go of our hands. To you, who were there when the language was a lump in my throat and our family was thousands of miles away: thank you for being our compass and our greatest motivation. This achievement is as much yours as it is ours.
We’ve moved several times, but what never changed was the warmth with which we were welcomed. With each move, we discovered that Australia’s true wealth lies not only in its landscapes, but in the human quality of its people, who have supported us no matter where we are.
Caption: Local refugees supported by Tweed Welcomes Refugees, from left: Tunis, Carmen, Fatemah and Mayra.
