Multicultural Communities

The Tablelands region is a growth area that has an extremely culturally and linguistically diverse population. The 2006 Census shows the population of the Tablelands is 42,196 and that the two main areas where there is the greatest cultural diversity are the Mareeba and Dimbulah regions.

In Mareeba 16.7% of people were born overseas, while in Dimbulah 20.7% of people were born overseas.

60 different nationalities are represented in Mareeba - Dimbulah and the most commonly spoken languages, apart from English, are Italian (3.9% compared to 1.0% in Australia), Albanian, German, Croatian, Dutch, Papuan New Guinean and Spanish.

In other Tablelands towns the multicultural diversity includes:

• Atherton and surrounds - 12.8% born overseas and languagesother than English spoken at home include Italian, German, Dutch, Tagalog and French
• Malanda and surrounds - 14.4% born overseas and languages other than English spoken at home include German, Italian, Dutch, Tamil and French
• Herberton and surrounds - 11.7% born overseas and languages other than English spoken at home include German, Dutch, French and Tagalog.

By 2026, the Queensland Government Planning Information and Forecasting Unit predicts that each of the former shires of Atherton, Eacham, Herberton and Mareeba will have a median age significantly higher than the population of Queensland. The number of people aged 65 years and over living in the Tablelands Regional Council area is expected to more than double from 6,528 people in 2006 to 16,482 in 2031 (PIFU, Medium Series Projections, 2008).

Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders on the Tablelands
Of the total population in Tablelands (previous State Electoral Division) Indigenous persons (comprises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) are 3,280 people which is 8.6% compared with 2.3% Indigenous persons in Australia. 

Multicultural Aged Program

Multicultural Aged Program (CPP) is funded by the Community Partners Program - Department for Health and Ageing in partnership with Tablelands Regional Council.

Click here to view the most recent issue (Volume 1, Issue 8) of the MultiLinks Newsletter.

You may also view the previous Issues of the MultiLinks Newsletter here:

• Volume 1, Issue 7
• Volume 1, Issue 6
• Volume 1, Issue 5  (1.51MB)
• Volume 1, Issue 4
• Volume 1, Issue 3
• Volume 1, Issue 2  (1.77MB)
• Volume 1, Issue 1  (2MB)

Do you need help accessing services in your community?  Our "Where to go for Help" Flyer   may have the answer.   The flyer is available in English, Italian, Thai,  Hmong, and Albanian.

Community Partners Program - Making Choices

The aim of this program is to promote better access to aged care services by CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) community members and to provide:

• Cultural briefings;
• Multicultural resources;
• Information to CALD communities about aged care services;
• Support to service providers to help deliver culturally appropriate aged care; and
• Assistance to link communities and aged care services to create postive outcomes
   

The Multicultural Development Officer (MDO) works with Aged Care Services to increase access to information and services for older multicultural people and their families on the Tablelands, so that choices can be made on the services they require.

The Mulitcultural Development Officer works with the Aged Care Services to ensure that their services are culturally appropriate for the diverse communities.

Both Multicultural groups and Aged Care Services can contact the Multicultural Development Officer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am - 5pm on (07) 4092 6899 or email: melissaw [at] trc [dot] qld [dot] gov [dot] au ( melissaw@trc.gld.gov.au )
 

Mareeba Multicultural Festival
Aborigine Dancers

Since 1998, the annual Mareeba Multicultural Festival has grown in popularity as the quality of activities becomes richer and more diverse. The first few festivals concentrated on singing, dancing and poetry. As the years have gone by, performances organised by particular ancestry groups have many members from other cultural backgrounds. This has had flow on effects in terms of friendships and networks established. 

Mareeba is a showcase for the rest of Australia, particularly rural Australia for harmony, goodwill and the celebration of unity in diversity.


Multicultural Festival Committee The Mareeba Multicultural Festival Committee represents a broad spectrum of the community including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and cultures from non English and English speaking backgrounds.  It also includes representatives from the local business sector, Council and youth. The methodology is grounded in community development and capacity building strategies.