The Welcome Experience at Cross-Cultural Carnivale: Building Belonging Through Community Connection
On Saturday, October 18, The Welcome Experience Orana team participated in ORISCON's Cross-Cultural Carnivale at Ollie Robbins Oval, and the day reinforced exactly why cultural connection matters for regional settlement success.
Our Local Connector Julie Webster developed the Welcome Weave concept as an ongoing community engagement activity. Residents were invited to decorate a colourful ribbon or fabric strip and write a message completing the prompt "Dubbo feels like home because..." before weaving it into a frame. The responses from the Carnivale captured what we're all working toward in regional workforce attraction and retention:
"The people." "Safe place for my children." "Friendly faces everywhere." "Opportunities I never had back home."
These aren't just heartwarming sentiments. They're indicators of successful settlement outcomes for essential workers and their families, whether they're making the move from metro to country or internationally.
The Welcome Weave frame will travel to all of The Welcome Experience's community events throughout the region until it is full, then will be permanently displayed at The Vault Orana, RDA Orana's co-working and event space. The completed artwork will serve as a living symbol of connection and belonging for the Dubbo and surrounding region community, demonstrating what draws people to the Orana region and what makes them stay.
Over 30 performances brought together newcomers and long-time residents in a celebration that demonstrated Dubbo's capacity to welcome and integrate diverse populations. For stakeholders working on workforce attraction, this kind of community infrastructure is critical. Cultural connection isn't secondary to employment and housing; it's fundamental to whether essential workers stay or return to metro areas.
Events like the Carnivale, organised by ORISCON and supported by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, Multicultural NSW, Dubbo Regional Council, and Rotary Club of Dubbo South, create the social fabric that makes "welcome" more than a word.
Our Local Connectors continue to provide personalised support that bridges the gap between arrival and belonging. We work alongside community moments like the Carnivale to ensure newcomers have pathways to build lasting relationships and contribute from day one.
The service remains free for essential workers and families moving to the Orana region. Find more information HERE or phone 0498 851 488
As we continue our work in essential worker settlement and regional economic development, partnerships with organisations like ORISCON demonstrate the collaborative approach needed to build genuinely welcoming regional communities. We welcome opportunities to connect with stakeholders working in related areas.
