Little India: a home away from home.

Life in a foreign land is daunting but with multi-cuisine restaurants, stores and intercultural clubs Australia is home to its Indian community.


Home to numerous cultures comprising of people of European, Asian and Aboriginal descent, the Indian population in Australia comprises mostly of Indian students.

In order to combat the feeling of being alien in a new country there are many options open to Indians and people of other cultures alike.

The Gold Coast and almost every other city in Australia boasts of multi-cuisine restaurants.

For students who might find it difficult to eat out all the time, they can find respite in one of the many Indian stores on the Gold Coast.

These stores are a wealth of food, music, clothing and smells that are reminiscent of home.

Naveen and Achala Bhatnagar own an Indian store called the Himalayan Range located at Australia Fair in Southport.

They took over the store from its previous owners in January 2006 seeing it as an opportunity to serve their community.

The couple also wanted to increase awareness about Indian cultures among people who are not Indian.

Naveen says, “people are very intrigued by the idea of having something new.”

“They like to know how Indian food is cooked and my wife Achala sometimes helps customers with recipes.”

The store also sells ‘Ready-to-Eat’ packets of food that just need to be heated and served which is a big hit with the customers and people who either don’t have the time or don’t know how to cook.

Another popular Indian store is family-run Santoshi India Place which is located in Surfers Paradise.

In addition to being an Indian store, Santoshi as it is popularly known also serve fresh food and Indian snacks at affordable rates, utensils for cooking and deities to adorn Indian homes.

While starting a life in a new country is always a terrifying thing, it is comforting to know that there are such strong reminders of home, especially when it’s something as tangible as good food and Bollywood movies.