After spending 32 years in Australia, Carol (left) and David Widdrington are officially Australiancitizens. PHOTO: Sam Bradbrook
EVANSTON husband and wife David and Carol Widdrington have lived in Australia for 32 years, but as of last Thursday can now officially call themselves ‘Australian’.
Mr and Mrs Widdrington were among a small group of Gawler locals who officially received their Australian citizenship at a ceremony held at the Gawler Civic Centre last week.
Originally from Newcastle, England, the pair moved to Australia and intended to stay for two years before heading back home.
It didn’t take long for them to decide they wanted to call Australia home.
“My sister immigrated here a few years before I left, and I always said I was going to come to Australia one day,” Mrs Widdrington said.
“I met David and said I always wanted to come out to Australia, so we came out to stay for two years and now here we are 32 years later.
“It’s been the lucky country for us, the laid back lifestyle, the weather, and we’ve got jobs.
“People embrace you, there’s recognition we’re all equal.”
Mr and Mrs Widdrington first settled in Modbury, before buying the original stationmaster’s house in Tarlee, where they drove to and from Adelaide every day.
Their son then started attending Trinity College, which saw the couple move to Evanston 17 years ago.
After being hampered by financial constraints which delayed them applying for formal citizenship, it was the Australian Same Sex Marriage Law survey in September 2017 that pushed the couple
to become fully-fledged citizens.
“I rang them (the Australian Bureau of Statistics) up and said we’ve been here 30 years, can’t we vote?,” Mrs Widdrington.
“I said ‘that’s it, we’re doing it’.”
Gawler’s newest Australian citizens had come from all around the globe to settle in the region, including the Raiche family, who had emigrated from Kenya and now live in Evanston.
Anand Raiche said he had “goosebumps” as he was officially declared an Australian citizen last week.
“Every inch of Australia is beautiful, I love the lifestyle here,” he said.
“As soon as I came to Australia I knew I really wanted to stay, we’ve loved it since day one.
“The first thing I want to do is take my Australian family out for a meal and spend some time with them.
“When we moved to Adelaide we knew no-one here, but we met total strangers and now we’re all really close.
“I love Australia, mate.”
