Community spirit shone to support a fundraiser with more than $5000 clocked up to help with ongoing projects on Timor Leste’s Atauro Island.

The ‘Curry Night’ on Saturday hosted by the Indigo Shire Atauro Island Friendship Group held in the Quercus Beechworth Oregon Hall drew 70 supporters while the committee and the organising team added to numbers.

National convenor for the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network (AusTimorFN), Derarca O’Mahony, delivered an informative presentation about the Australia Timor Friendship Network.

AusTimorFN’s Lorraine McBride also delivered an informative talk as another guest speaker.

Indigo Shire Atauro Island Friendship Group’s Lesley Milne said the Australia–Timor-Leste Friendship Groups started in the year 2000 to help the young nation rebuild following the massive destruction and violence that occurred after its 1999 vote for independence from Indonesian occupation.

“They began as a joint grassroots effort between Australian local councils and the emerging Timorese leadership,” she said.

Ms Milne said the first Friendship Groups were initiated by three local councils in Victoria - Darebin, Moreland and Port Phillip.

“These were Friends of Baucau, Friends of Aileu, and Friends of Suai/Covalima and there are now 32 Friendship Groups across Australia registered with AusTimorFN,” she said.

“Three key principles drive the friendships – respect: supporting Timorese led decision-making, sustainable: with a long-term 10-year commitment, and relationships: to build partnerships based on mutual respect and understanding."

Event goers also heard from Ms O’Mahony about the success of the Friendship Network conference held in Dili last year when many representatives of Friendship groups took part.

Among them included the Indigo Atauro Friendship committee president, Libby Hosking.

On display was the Order of Timor Leste Medal presented to 26 Australian community-to-community Friendship groups by Timor Leste’s President, José Ramos Horta, at a ceremony in Melbourne in August last year.

“The August 2025 awards honoured these groups for 25 years of grassroots solidarity, local aid, and enduring partnerships following the country's 1999 independence,” Ms Milne said.

The medal can be seen in a special cabinet in the window of the Community Bank Beechworth & District (Bendigo Bank).

Ms Milne said funds raised will go towards the scholarships for secondary students taking up tertiary studies in Dili, as well as the Sanitation Project.

“The team who planned the fundraising event, designed the menu, prepared and cooked a selection of three delicious curries, with rice and condiments worked incredibly hard behind the scenes,” she said.

“With universal praise for the food and teamwork Sue Brunskill, Kylie Stephens, Robin Harvey, Kerrie Connor, Fleur and Anne Stelling, Digby Race, Rik Atkins and Sally Timmins are to be congratulated.”

Ms Milne said many local businesses supported the silent auction with generous donations as well as donations from several individual community members.

Organisers rated the night a huge success.

“It was a terrific effort on behalf of a small community who came out on a cold and foggy winter’s night,” Ms Milne said.