'This Has Been a Labour of Love': Australia’s Bendigo Mosque Set to Open
For nearly two decades, Dr. Aisha Neelam longed for a communal place of worship in Bendigo. She moved from Dubai in 2005 and established a medical practice in the town, but a purpose-built mosque remained absent. When the plan for a mosque emerged more than ten years ago, she saw it as a turning point, ABC News reported.
Her optimism soon met resistance. Protests led by far-right groups, including the now-defunct United Patriots Front, engulfed the city.
Police urged the Muslim community to remain cautious. Dr. Neelam recalled being advised to avoid the central business district.
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The unrest, she said, “provided us with a glimpse into how ugly the world can get, but at the same time, also, how sometimes something really beautiful grows out of something really, really dark.”
That “something beautiful,” she added, is the mosque, now preparing for a staged opening.
Construction began in 2019, years after a mock beheading staged outside council offices illustrated the tensions surrounding the project. Legal challenges reached the High Court but were dismissed in 2016, clearing the way for building to begin.
Local support also emerged. Bendigo resident Anthony Radford joined a counter-campaign called Believe in Bendigo.
He said he faced threats for backing the mosque, but argued that most opposition came from outside the town. “The Bendigo mosque issue was the hotspot in the war on the anti-Islamic sentiment,” he said.
The mosque is not only intended as a place of worship. Sameer Syed, vice president of the Bendigo Islamic Community Centre, explained that it was designed to function as a community hub. “We want this to be a space for everyone in Bendigo, not just the Muslim community,” he said.
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The story of Islam in the region, however, is not new. Associate Professor Tim Jones of La Trobe University noted that Muslims arrived in Bendigo during the gold rush era.
He said historical accounts recorded Muslims joining in public celebrations, including Eid gatherings in Rosalind Park. Over time, he explained, the city became less culturally diverse, and opposition to the mosque reflects challenges that must be addressed through deeper cultural understanding.
Today, small groups of protesters occasionally appear outside the site, but supporters say the project is a step forward for inclusion.
For Dr. Neelam, the building represents more than bricks and mortar. “[The mosque] holds a very special place in my heart … this has been a labour of love.”
She added that the centre was envisioned as a place for interfaith dialogue and community exchange, where residents could “come in and have a chat, meet a Muslim, see what it’s all about and kind of demystify the faith a little bit too.”
Source: Agencies
