Diversity in Strathfield
The Strathfield local government area is incredibly diverse, with people from many parts of the world moving to our leafy streets.
The most recent Census in 2016 indicated that 56% of the population was born in countries other than Australia. These countries include India, China, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Philippines and Italy.
Nearly 64% of residents speak a language other than English, including Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Tamil and Arabic.
Strathfield Council boasts many cultural hotspots including a bounty of Korean restaurants around Strathfield Square, and a mini China Town in Homebush West.
Chinese Art and Calligraphy
Learn traditional techniques and take your art to the next level.
Location: Strathfield Community Centre, 1B Bates St, Homebush
Details: 1st Class is Calligraphy and painting for beginners, 2nd Class is advanced level
Program run by: Rachael Chen
Contact: 0497 258 899
Cost: Cost varies, contact Rachael
Conversation Club
Weekly class to practice conversational English and learn more about Australia whilst having fun and making new friends.
Location: Strathfield Library & Innovation Hub
Details: Contact Metro Assist for dates and times
Contact: 9746 8217
Cost: Free
Vote Talk Program
Vote Talk is for any person, of any language or culture, of any age who wants to learn more about voting in Australia. The Vote Talk Program aims to make elections and voting simple and easy for everyone to understand.
Through podcasts, community conversations and radio interviews in different languages, you will hear members of your community talk about elections, voting and how you can make sure your vote counts.
This is to empower culturally and linguistically diverse communities by providing them with information about voting in a context and language they understand.
They offer information in a range of languages including Chinese, Nepalese, Arabic, Tamil, Hindi, Vietnamese and Urdu.
To learn more about Vote Talk, visit the website here.
Translating Services
An interpreter service is available to speak to Strathfield Council in your own language through the Translators and Interpreter Service (TIS). Please call 13 14 50 and ask for your language. Then ask to speak with “Strathfield Council” on telephone (02) 9748 9999. Use of this service is the cost of a local call.
CASS Care is a community organisation providing a wide range of community services and activities for people residing in Metropolitan Sydney and Wollongong. Their clients come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, in particular, people from the East Asian countries, including Chinese, Koreans, Indonesians and Vietnamese, amongst many other people in the community. Over 3,300 families access our services and activities weekly.
The Tamil Senior Citizens Association meets every Thursday at the Strathfield Community Centre and reminiscence on their past, discuss current and future events. Some members hone their skills in hobbies including bridge, chess, scrabble, carom, table tennis, knitting, patchwork, handicrafts and more.
Rainbow Cultures is an online directory of groups and services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) LGBTQIA+ community in New South Wales and more broadly in Australia.
It includes multicultural and multilingual LGBTQIA+ organisations, groups and services that cater to or are welcoming of LGBTQIA+ people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
