Australian Becomes Canadian In Australian

In the Canadian province of British Columbia, around 30km south of a town called Quesnel, you’ll find a community called Australian.

This is where former Mackay resident Ben Direen became a Canadian citizen, with Canada joining Australia and New Zealand on the list of countries Ben is a citizen of.

Ben grew up in Mackay before moving to Brisbane to complete a Sport Management degree.

He then embarked on a career in sponsorship sales, working for companies such as V8 Supercars, the National Basketball League and the Townsville Crocodiles.

In a period of uncertainty in his professional and personal life, Ben took the opportunity to travel to Europe.

“On the way back, I ended up visiting my brother who was living in Vancouver at the time,” said Ben.

“I was completely conned because Vancouver was sunny for three days – its nickname is Raincouver.”

Ben was taken aback by the beauty of Vancouver and other places he visited on a road trip down the west coast of America.

After another stint in Australia, Ben secured a Visa and moved to Canada.

“Just before I left, I interviewed for the Rocky Mountaineer, the train, in my parent’s living room in Mackay,” he said.

Ben arrived in Vancouver and was met with 100 days of straight rain.

“I was like, ‘what have I done?’”

He got the job on the Rocky Mountaineer where he worked with his brother and met his now partner of six years in his first season.

It was also on the Rocky Mountaineer that Ben became familiar with the area of Australian.

“It’s a tiny little spot on the train line and there’s only two or three signs there that refer to the Australian name, but the history of it ties in really nicely with the history of the early pioneers of the gold rush of western Canada,” said Ben.

When Ben decided to become a citizen of Canada, he saw a unique opportunity given the virtual nature of the citizenship ceremony.

“I was like, ‘why don’t I try and be a little funny with it and become the first Aussie to become Canadian on Australian soil,” he said.

“Technically, it still is Canadian soil, which is part of the rules.

“By doing that, I was just being a bit cheeky.”

Ben called the owners of the ranch situated in Australian the morning of the ceremony and asked if he could complete the ceremony on their property.

He was welcomed onto the ranch by Bob Yorston, a descendant of the Yorstons who bought the property in 1903, his wife Lenore and their daughter.

A fan of symbolism, Ben took his citizenship oath overlooking the Australian ranch with a Tim Horton’s coffee in hand and sporting a Canterbury-made Wallabies jersey with an iconic plaid shirt over the top, giving his colleagues on the Rocky Mountaineer a unique anecdote to spin on their tours past Australian.

“I look back and I was pretty moved during the whole thing, it just worked out perfectly,” said Ben.

“I’m proud to be a citizen of all three countries.

“Australia is my home country and I think, personally, you’re splitting hairs with Canada, New Zealand and Australia for three of the best countries on the planet and I don’t want to give up any of them; I love each country for different reasons.”

Ben at Australian Ranch, B.C prior to his citizenship ceremony wearing a plaid shirt and a Canterbury Wallabies jersey with Tim Horton's Coffee in hand

Ben works seasonally on the Rocky Mountaineer where he came across the area of Australian. Photos supplied: Ben Direen

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