THE quiet streets of Blayney are a long way from those in war torn Iraq but for Dr Marwan Toma and his family, thankfully they are now home.
After five years living in Australia and two of those working in Blayney, Dr Toma, his wife Norr and their three daughters officially became Australian citizens on January 26.
The family took the citizenship pledge and were presented with their official certificates at a ceremony in Heritage Park.
It's been a long journey to stability for the family, who have lived in many different locations around the world because of the turmoil in Iraq.
"We felt very unsettled, you live in constant fear," he said of life in Iraq.
Dr Toma fled Iraq before the most recent war but was there during the gulf war.
"The house is shaking, there are rockets going off and you are losing loved ones all the time," he said, describing what living through war was like.
"A neighbour of mine who lived 200 metres away died after his house was bombed.
"Another neighbour owned a shop that was bombed."
After surviving the gulf war period, Dr Toma continued to live in Iraq under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.
He worked as a doctor and spent a lot of time treating fellow civilians as they battled the short and long term health effects that confronted them after that war.
"I worked in a hospital in Iraq and treated many children and people who suffered during the economic sanctions... cases of starving, poverty and those who had a complete lack of access to medicine," he said.
In 2003 when the Iraq war was looming, Dr Toma fled to the safest nearby country he could reach.
"I went to Jordan because it was safer and then to the UK and then back to Jordan."
When he heard in 2006 that Australia was "opening the door for doctors", Dr Toma said he thought "that was a good thing".
He applied to come to Australia and had to sit numerous exams in order to "get accepted here".
With his wife and eldest daughter, Dr Toma came to Australia and started work at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
After a few years in Sydney, a talk from the Rural Doctor's Network then inspired Dr Toma to consider a quieter life in the country.
"There was a vacancy in Blayney so I applied and got it."
Before Blayney, the Toma's had only ever lived in big cities like Baghdad, Glasgow and Sydney.
Two years after moving here, Dr Toma and has family said life has never been better.
"We have built a house in Blayney and my wife has just got her driver's licence.
"My eldest daughter goes to school in Blayney and the little ones are at preschool.
"My youngest two daughters were born in Australia."
Dr Toma said soon after arriving in Blayney he and his family felt welcomed and accepted by the local community.
"Work is very good, the people are very pleasant and are appreciative and thankful for what I do.
"As a rural GP you get to see and do more, you get to know all the families and that's a very important social aspect of medicine."
The contrast between their new life in Australia and old life in Iraq is stark for the family.
"Australia is very different - there is this huge openness and tolerance," Dr Toma said.
"You have freedom of beliefs, speech, religion and elections -in Iraq there were no elections when I was there."
Clearly at home in Blayney, the Toma's made the decision to apply for Australian citizenship to formalise their relationship with their new homeland.
"After four years working here I applied to become a permanent resident through the skilled migration program.
"Me and my wife had to sit a test to prove we are of good character, had to have lots of police reference checks.
"Me being from the Middle East, which is a troubled area, meant I had to fill out many additional forms."
The long journey to a safe and free life in Australia finally ended for the Toma's on Australia Day when they received their Australian citizenship.
"We're really thankful to Australia, it's such an honour to become an Australian citizen.
"This is a country and a town I wish to have a great life with my family and wife in."
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