Shepparton Albanian Society

25/05/2026

Article from the Shepparton Adviser. https://www.sheppadviser.com.au/albanian-festival-of-generosity/

18/05/2026

Dear Community,

We pray that you and your families are in the best of health and iman during these blessed days of Dhul Hijjah.

With Tuesday 26th of May 2026 being the Day of Arafah, we will InshaAllah be celebrating Eid al-Adha on Wednesday 27th of May 2026.

📍 *Program for Eid al-Adha Day*

1️⃣ Fajr Prayer at 6:30 AM followed by Takbir al-Tashreeq
2️⃣ Imam delivering speech at 7:30 AM
3️⃣ Eid Prayer at 8:00 AM

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Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“No good deeds are better than what is done in these first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.”

The companions asked, “Not even jihad in the way of Allah?”

The Prophet ﷺ replied:

“Not even jihad in the way of Allah, except for a man who goes out with his life and wealth at risk and returns with nothing.”

📖 Sahih al-Bukhari 969

May Allah SWT accept your ibadah and good deeds during these blessed 10 days, multiply them in reward, and accept your sacrifice. Ameen.

Eid Mubarak to you and your families.

09/05/2026

Gëzuar Ditën e Nënës të gjitha nënave, gjysheve dhe grave të mrekullueshme në komunitetin tonë dhe më gjerë. 🌸

Sot festojmë forcën, dashurinë, përkushtimin dhe rolin e rëndësishëm që keni në mbajtjen gjallë të familjeve, kulturës dhe komunitetit tonë. Faleminderit për gjithçka që bëni çdo ditë.

Nga të gjithë ne në Albanian Shepparton Society, ju urojmë një ditë të bukur, plot dashuri, lumturi dhe vlerësim. ❤️🇦🇱

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in our Albanian community and beyond. 🌸

Today we celebrate your strength, love, sacrifice and the important role you play in keeping our families, culture, and community strong. Thank you for all that you do every day.

From all of us at the Albanian Shepparton Society, we wish you a beautiful day filled with love, happiness and appreciation. ❤️🇦🇱

06/05/2026

We are incredibly proud to share that, following another successful Harvest Festival, our Albanian Society has once again donated $5,000 to GV Hospice.

This contribution has helped purchase a portable oxygen machine, providing much-needed support to patients and their families. The team at GV Hospice expressed their sincere appreciation for the generosity and ongoing support from our community.

This achievement would not be possible without the hard work, dedication and passion of our amazing volunteers and supporters. Your time, effort and commitment are what make these events successful year after year.

These are truly proud moments for our community ❤️

Let’s continue to come together, support one another, and create more meaningful events that strengthen our connections and support those in need.

05/05/2026

🇦🇱🇦🇺🇦🇱 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE VOLUNTEERS! ❤️It takes an army to make our event happen each year. Show your appreciation, share the love and make time to give your important feedback here : https://bit.ly/AlbanianFestivalSurvey

04/05/2026

Tonight we celebrated our incredible volunteers at The Woolshed, a heartfelt thank you for the impact you make across our community.

This evening, organised by the committee, was not only about celebrating the success of the Harvest Festival, but also about recognising every event, every effort and every contribution that brings our community to life.

We are especially proud to acknowledge Reg Qemal for his exceptional coordination of our volunteers. His leadership, dedication and ability to bring people together are truly valued and have been key to our success.

For those of you who couldn’t join us tonight, you were missed. Please know that you are always appreciated and that you have contributed your time, effort and ideas to make everything possible. We value each and every one of you and look forward to continuing this journey together with even more successful events and festivals ahead.

Your commitment, teamwork and generosity are what make everything possible.

Thank you for being the heart of our community 💛

30/04/2026

On behalf of the Shepparton Albanian Society, we are proud to share this powerful and insightful article highlighting the history of Albanians in Australia.

“Preserving Identity Across Oceans” beautifully captures the journey of our people — from the early migrants who made Shepparton their home, to the strong and united community we continue to build today.

Shepparton holds a very special place in this story. It is one of the oldest and most established Albanian communities in Australia, built on hard work, resilience and a deep commitment to preserving our culture and identity.

This article reminds us of where we came from, the challenges our community has overcome and the importance of continuing to pass our traditions on to future generations.

I encourage everyone to take a moment to read and reflect on this meaningful piece:
https://www.arbanonmagazine.com/post/preserving-identity-across-oceans-the-history-of-albanians-in-australia

Please share this article widely with family, friends and across our networks to help raise awareness of the Albanian community in Australia. The more we share our story, the stronger our voice becomes.

Proud of our past,
Proud of our community,
Proud of Shepparton!!

Shepparton Albanian Society Committee!

Author: Bleron ZajmiAlbanians marching in a post-World War II celebration march on Swanston Street, Melbourne, c. late 1940s. Courtesy of Fikri Taip as part of the collection of the ‘Kurbet’ exhibit at the Victoria Museum, which was organized through the collaborative efforts of the Immigration ...

26/04/2026

Did you know? 🇦🇱 🇦🇺

The Albanian presence in Australia dates back over 140 years — making Albanians among the earliest non-British European migrants who helped build rural communities through hard work and resilience.

The First Recorded Albanian Settler
In 1885, Naum Konxha (from southern Albania) became the first documented Albanian to settle permanently in Australia. He arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, with his English wife Emily Howard. He ran a café-restaurant in Petrie Bight and later retired to Bribie Island. Small numbers of Orthodox Albanians from southern Albania followed in the early 1900s (e.g., Spiro Jani in 1908, Kristo Zafiri & Dhimitër Ikonomi in Townsville in 1913)

The Pioneer Wave of 1924

The foundations of today’s Albanian-Australian communities were laid in October 1924, when five young men from the Korçë region of Albania — Bejxhet Emini, Bektash Muharem, Musa Ibrahimi, Rexhep Mustafa, and Riza Ali — arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia. Many more “kurbetxhi” (economic migrants) followed in the 1920s–1930s, mostly single men seeking opportunity after U.S. immigration quotas tightened.
Key Settlement Areas & Contributions
• Shepparton, Victoria (Goulburn Valley): Became the heart of the Albanian community in Australia. Early arrivals worked in orchards and fruit growing, later establishing their own farms. The Shepparton Albanian Mosque (built 1960) is one of the oldest purpose-built mosques in regional Victoria and a symbol of the community’s enduring presence.
• North Queensland (Mareeba, Babinda, Ingham area): A small but historic Muslim Albanian farming community formed, with families working in sugar cane and agriculture since the 1920s–1930s.

• Other early spots included Melbourne, Northam (WA), and parts of Queensland.
These pioneers faced the Great Depression, isolation, and sometimes discrimination, yet they integrated through honest work, family values, and community support. Many sent money home or brought families later. By the 1933 census, Victoria already recorded 249 Albania-born residents (mostly men at first).
Today, the Albanian-Australian community thrives — especially in Shepparton and Melbourne — with strong cultural traditions, festivals, businesses, and contributions to Australian agriculture and multicultural life. From Naum Konxha in 1885 to multi-generational families today, it’s a classic story of migrant perseverance and success.
A hidden chapter of Australian history powered by Albanian grit!

20/04/2026

🇦🇱 🇦🇺 🇦🇱 Thanks as always for supporting our Festival. Please take a few minutes to give your feedback with this short survey. If you know others who attended this year, please tag them also. 🇦🇱 🇦🇺 🇦🇱Thanking you all kindly.

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19/04/2026