Last Thursday, the Rotary Club of Orbost hosted a heartwarming event to welcome newcomers to the area.
The gathering celebrated community spirit and offered newcomers a chance to connect with local services, businesses and organisations through thoughtfully curated “welcome buckets” filled with information and gifts.
The event provided a friendly environment where families and individuals could mingle, ask questions, and start building connections in their new community.
Rotary members expressed their delight at meeting the new residents and helping them integrate smoothly into Orbost life.
The welcome buckets, which are central to the initiative, were made possible through the support of many local organisations and businesses.
Flyers were provided by various groups to inform families about available services, while businesses generously contributed vouchers to make the gesture even more special and entice the newcomers to come in-store and see what is on offer locally.
Rotary has plans to host another gathering over coffee in December, with hopes of making these events a regular feature every month or two.
The success of this project has been driven by collaboration, with key contributions from the Orbost Regional Health Service, Orbost Neighbourhood House, the Orbost and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Orbost branch of Country Women’s Association (CWA).
The East Gippsland Shire Council provided funding to kickstart the initiative.
Rotary highlighted the importance of these welcome buckets as a tool for fostering a sense of belonging.
“New families often struggle to find information about services and organisations,” president of Rotary, Kathy Gupta said.
“This project bridges that gap and ensures newcomers feel supported and informed, with the initiative designed to help them feel at home in rural life and contribute to the vibrancy of our town.”
The response from attendees and the broader community has been overwhelmingly positive, with social media abuzz with praise for the event.
Rotary invites more businesses and organisations to consider if they are able to contribute vouchers or flyers for future events, ensuring the program’s continued success.
