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Key Points
- Mareeba, a town west of Cairns in northern Queensland, is home to a tight-knit Muslim community.
- The area was once a hub for tobacco farming, leading many migrants to call it home.
- Today, locals say shared values and mutual respect are key to Mareeba’s multicultural harmony.
Mareeba, a small regional town in northern Queensland about 1,483km from Brisbane and an hour’s drive from Cairns, today boasts a population of around 23,000 according to the 2021 Census.
In 1929, 16-year-old Jack Murat arrived in Mareeba to work on a tobacco farm. Credit: SBS Urdu
Benyamin Murat, the youngest son of Jack and a casual imam at Mareeba Mosque, estimates that about 300 Muslims live there now.
“When my father settled and married here, the town was much smaller and primarily known for tobacco farming,” he told SBS Urdu.
An exhibit at Mareeba Heritage Museum highlights the hard work required for tobacco cultivation, from planting to harvesting. Credit: SBS Urdu
Valuable contribution of migrants
“Australia’s tobacco industry was the most subsidised agricultural sector, but deregulation in the 1990s led to its collapse,” she said.
Sandrine Gloton, the founder and manager of the Mareeba Heritage Museum. Credit: SBS Urdu
The museum claims to be home to Australia’s largest tobacco industry exhibit, which highlights the long, labour-intensive work hours required of tobacco cultivation.
The industry was driven by waves of migrants, whose impacts are still felt in the town today, Gloton added.
Many young migrant workers, like Jack, contributed significantly to Mareeba’s growth.
Sandrine Gloton
But making a home in regional Australia has not been without its challenges, as Skender Murat, Benyamin’s elder brother, recalled.
Skender Murat says his farming profession aligns with his faith. Credit: SBS Urdu
Skender said his twin Peter’s conversion to Christianity in the 1980s marked a “painful” period for some in the family.
Despite any initial differences, Peter continues to work on the family’s sugarcane farm to this day.
Even though my twin brother became a Christian, we continue to work together with respect.
Skender Murat
“Despite challenges, our family remains united,” he said.
Plum Murat at his coffee farm in Mareeba. Credit: SBS Urdu
Keeping the culture alive
Benyamin said that, like many migrant families, the Murats faced a big challenge regarding how to preserve their culture, religion and values, compounded by their relative isolation.
Benyamin Murat, a casual imam of Mareeba Mosque. Credit: SBS Urdu
He said the opening of the Mareeba Mosque in 1970 was a major milestone for his community.
“The mosque became a central hub for the Muslim community and marked a key moment for the Murat family to stay connected with their values and faith,” he said.
Mareeba Mosque was built in 1970, and regular prayers began in the 1980s. Credit: SBS Urdu
He said the mosque was built through contributions from non-Muslim communities, including the Italian and Greek communities.
Mareeba’s Mayor, Angela Toppin, said the town had benefited from strong bonds across different cultures and faiths, recalling that her Italian-speaking mother was friends with the Murat brothers’ Albanian mother.
Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin commended the town’s harmony. Credit: SBS Urdu
“Even our parents, Italian and Albanian mothers, formed lasting friendships, fostering community support despite differing faiths,” she said.
Twin brothers Skender and Peter Murat with their late sister, Mary Galina. Credit: SBS Urdu
Locals agree that mutual respect is essential in maintaining harmony in Mareeba.
“These communities coexist with respect and share multicultural values, which are the foundation of Mareeba’s harmony,” he said.
Warm welcome
Fawad Ali shared a similar outlook.
Contrary to misconceptions about regional Australia, I feel Mareeba warmly welcomes immigrants of all religions and cultures.
Dr Fawad Ali
The future of the community
During a visit to the newly acquired land, about 20 minutes from Mareeba’s centre, Sherry noted that the local community had been highly cooperative.
Sherry Murat has secured land for an Islamic school in Mareeba. Credit: SBS Urdu
“Most of the community participates in multifaith activities, such as a multifaith iftar,” she said, speaking of an event where the mosque hall is opened to all for an evening meal during the fasting month of Ramadan.
The multifaith iftar at Mareeba Mosque united the community. Credit: SBS Urdu
Councillor Cardillo praised such events for uniting the community.
“The Murat family’s story reflects perseverance, unity and respect, enriching Mareeba’s diverse and harmonious community,” he said.
Mareeba Councillor Ross Cardillo. Credit: SBS Urdu
Skender Murat said the locals tended to focus on the similarities, not the differences.
“Beyond nationality and religion, we have much in common, our core interests align, making minor differences irrelevant,” he said.
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