An adventurous spirit likely helped Stuart and Emma Taylor's decision to immigrate to Australia five years ago.
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After all, the UK couple had set off to cycle the world back in 2011 and reached Turkey before a vicious dog bite put paid to their plans. Australia had been on their itinerary but it would have to wait.
Opportunity knocked again in 2016 when Mr Taylor, a systems engineer, spotted his company's call for people to work in Australia.
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"Six months later we arrived in Canberra," the Collector district resident said.
"We were just about to buy a house in the UK and had to make a choice."
The couple, who live between Collector and Gunning, haven't regretted their decision one bit.
On Wednesday, they were sworn in as Australian citizens by Governor General David Hurley AC DSC (Ret'd) at Crookwell's Australia Day activities in Memorial Park. They were two of seven people to do so.
Family friends in Australia made their transition easier. The couple firstly settled at Bungendore but in the first year, Mrs Taylor contracted pneumonia and had to be flown to Canberra Hospital's ICU.
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Fortunately she recovered and returned to the farm and the growing brood of chickens she had always wanted to raise.
"It's been great," Mr Taylor said.
"We chose to be here and to be Australian. It gives us a lot more freedom."
The couple also want to adopt children in the longer-term.
Mr Taylor, from Manchester, and Mrs Taylor, from Glasgow, joined another former UK resident, Hannah Sparks, as Australian citizens. The journalist arrived eight years ago and immediately secured work. Several years later she joined Australian Community Media and reported for The Yass Tribune, Goulburn Post and Crookwell Gazette. These days she works as communications officer with Yass Valley Shire Council.
The Bigga resident said it was a very proud day and joined family and friends for celebrations afterwards.
Other new citizens included Lavinia Konemann from Crookwell, who said she loved the country lifestyle and community. She arrived from New Zealand in 1984 to marry her partner and has worked in aged care for many years.
Meantime, Gai Huynh and Hao Vo migrated to Australia from Vietnam to reunite with their son and daughter and watch their grandchildren grow up. The retirees, who have attended TAFE English classes, believed the best thing about Australia was its mixed culture.
Hahn Nguyen, also from Vietnam, came to Australia in 2015 to visit friends but met and fell in love with her future husband, Stuart. The former Russian interpreter and public relations manager said she'd learnt a great deal about livestock production on the couple's sheep and cattle property.
Hahn is well known in the Crookwell community as a volunteer in the Saint Vincent de Paul store and her involvement in committees such as the Potato Festival.
The new citizens were also welcomed by Hume MP Angus Taylor, Member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman and Upper Lachlan Shire mayor, Pam Kensit.
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