Cape York Weekly FREE – #267 | Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Editorial: editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au|Advertising: sales@region.com.au
Cape welcomes newest Australian citizens
INSIDE TODAY
MAKEOVER FOR PCYC AURUKUN Page 5
NEW HOPE FOR RARE QUOLLS Page 7
AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATIONS Pages 8 & 9
Weipa Town Authority Chair Jaime Gane (left) congratulates Weipa’s newest Australian citizens - Esther Watson, Angelica Dialogo, Lucas Henriques, Reboucas De Oliveira, Juanita Ceballos and Blessing Mapfumo. Photo: Weipa Town Authority.
by CHISA HASEGAWA THE support of the community and standing side-by-side with her youngest daughter were what made the final step to Australian citizenship so special for Esther Watson. Ms Watson was one of five new Australians welcomed by the Weipa community at last Wednesday’s Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony. The Philippine-born woman arrived in Weipa in 2016 on a tourist visa, and wanted to call
the first place she landed in Australia home. But the journey to citizenship was not the easiest one. Going through an agency was going to be incredibly costly, so she set out to take on the process for herself and her two daughters,, one of whom is still waiting on approval. “I was scared to submit because I thought there’s something wrong [with the application],” she said. “I put it away for two years, but last year I needed to finish it, otherwise my visa is expired.
“I’m so happy, because we’re not worried about travelling, like getting a visitor visa to go somewhere. Next week, maybe we’ll apply for a passport.” Ms Watson, who came to the western Cape York township to be with her now-husband Glenn, said she was proud to raise her daughters in the community. “My eldest one graduated from WCC (Western Cape College) in 2021. She went to JCU for nursing, she’s finished now, and she’s working at Cairns Hospital,” she said proudly.
“My youngest one, she just graduated last November and she’s going to JCU too next week for teaching. “The community here is good.” Weipa Town Authority chairperson Jaime Gane said it was an honour to be part of their citizenship journeys. “Citizenship ceremonies are one of the highlights of my job; I feel very privileged to be able to do that for people,” she said. – Continued page 2
HISTORIC HOLIDAY FIND Page 10
GRAND FINAL GLORY FOR CROCS Page 15
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