Lake Macquarie has welcomed 210 'official' Aussies on Friday in the biggest single citizenship ceremony in the city's history.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said a change in venue from Rathmines Theatre to the main auditorium at Belmont 16s for Friday's ceremony meant the city had more than doubled the typical number of conferees attending each event.
"Our city is growing, and with that comes an increased demand from people born overseas to become new citizens here," he said.
"Shifting to Belmont 16s meant we've been able to reduce the backlog in citizenship requests across Lake Macquarie, adding to our rich diversity."
The 210 people who took the pledge to become new citizens ranged in age from one to 83, hailing from 40 different nations.
Mayor Adam said the UK, Nepal, the Philippines, India, New Zealand, Vietnam, Canada and South Africa accounted for the highest number.
"Citizenship ceremonies provide a glimpse into the many and varied life stories of the people who make Lake Macquarie what it is today," he said.
"They range from young children who will grow up as Australian citizens in our beautiful city to older residents who bring a lifetime of experience and community contribution with them."
Friday's ceremony included residents from all corners of Lake Macquarie.
Mayor Adam said residents from Cameron Park and Edgeworth were strongly represented.
"That likely reflects the increasing cultural diversity of our growth corridors," he said.
Lake Macquarie City Council will host another citizenship ceremony at Belmont 16s in November before switching back to Rathmines Theatre for a ceremony on 26 January 2027.
Further dates and venues will be determined once the 2027 Parliamentary calendars are released.
