The Kyaws were part of a group of 14 new Australians at the citizenship ceremony, coming from countries as diverse as India, the UAE, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Thailand and New Zealand.

Each new citizen has their own unique stories on how they ended up in the Manning, with the Kyaws no exception.

Coming from Burma, they were part of the Karen ethnic group, which was subjected to relentless, brutal attacks by the government's military due to democratic suppression.

The family escaped danger by fleeing in the middle of the night with what belongings they could carry and walked for one month, with much fear, until they reached Tham Hin refugee camp on the Thai border on June 10, 2000.

After a number of years in the camp, Ler Gay Htoo Kyaw had a dream in which she was directed to contact her former high school principal who'd just arrived in Australia.

At the same time a small group of people within Taree Baptist Church had contact with the same person, leading them to sponsor the Kyaw family to come and live in Taree.

The process took 18 months and eventually the family arrived in Taree in March 2009, with William and Ler Gay Htoo studying English at Taree TAFE, and their five children attending Taree Christian College and becoming largely independent.

The Kyaws' inspiring story, and their large crowd of supporters, helped lead to one of the largest citizenship ceremonies conducted in Taree in recent times.

New Australians welcomed at the ceremony were Mrs Soji Jacob, Miss Amalin Baijush, Ms Christine Jarvis, Ms Priya Jacob, Mr Jicky Mathew, Mrs Ler Gay Htoo Kyaw, Miss Ka Pyu Kyaw, Mr So Ka Maw Kyaw, Miss Lay Lai Htoo Kyaw, Mr Hon Son Htoo Kyaw, Mr William Kyaw, Mrs Medy Merriman and Mr Champak Nag.

Australia's newest citizens finished the ceremony with a rendition of the national anthem, as well as receiving a native plant and enjoying morning tea.