In April 2017 I reported (Bias against the bush in Australian refugee resettlement) on the continuing unsuccessful efforts in Armidale and Tamworth to make the cities eligible for refugee resettlement, SBS reported at the time on local disappointment: Regional community disappointed by government's rejection as resettlement location. On 11 August 2017 a breakthrough finally came: Armidale to settle 200 refugees - overview and discussion.
Syrian refugees had been the original target group, but this attempt failed because those re-settling wanted to be close to other Syrians in Sydney. Instead, Ezidi refugees came to the city from 2018. The Ezidi (Yazidi) are a minority religious group spread especially across Iraq, Syria and Turkey that has suffered considerable persecution most recently from ISIS. Those coming to Armidale came from Northern Iraq and included victims of the Sinjar massacre,
Successful resettlement faced considerable challenges. Many of those coming had been traumatised, spoke no English, did not drive, had little experience of urban living and limited education. Despite the difficulties, the number of Ezidi living in Armidale grew. The 2021 census recorded that the city had 610 residents with both parents born in Iraq; the majority if not all would have been Ezidi. In April 2023 NBN news reported that there were 650 Ezidi now living in the city and that the resettlement program was proving mutually beneficial to both the Ezedi and the local community. The NBN report includes the TV news item that is worth watching,
With the growing Ezidi population came new babies. In a story in the Armidale Express (June 2025: not on-line) Lydia Roberts reported that Armidale's population had grown by some seventy babies since the resettlement program began in 2018. Lydia also suggested that the Ezidi population had now grown to about 1200.
Ezidi Food and Bakery, The Mall, 171 Beardy Street Armidale. Photo Heath Forsyth, story Armidale Express.
With many children already in the group, Ezidi students spread across the schools and into the University. Now with successful establishment came initial new businesses with the establishment of two restaurants, two barber shops plus two middle eastern supermarkets with others reportedly in the pipeline. There were some initial reservations in Armidale about making the city a resettlement centre, but these seem relatively limited and have diminished with time, replaced I think with a feeling of pride.
The reasons for the success of Ezidi resettlement in Armidale deserve detailed analysis. At this point I simply note that many factors contributed to the success of the the resettlement program.
Armidale had to fight to become the first new regional refugee settlement in eleven years under the Commonwealth Government's Humanitarian Program creating a supportive atmosphere. Local members of Parliament Barnaby Joyce (New England) and Adam Marshall (Northern Tablelands) were supportive. Settlement Services International (SSI) provided coordinating support helping integrate community activities with broader Government support. Community organisations such as Rotary were supported by volunteers who among other things provided English language conversation, driver training, a community garden and personal family support. The schools, TAFE and university combined in a variety of ways to support the initiative. As SSI noted (link above) it was a whole of community approach.
