DID Press: One of the largest mosques in rural Australia has opened in Young, New South Wales, a town of about 11,000 people where the Muslim population has reportedly grown from 4.4% to nearly 10% in recent years.
The newly built Young mosque can accommodate nearly 1,000 worshippers, making it five times larger than the town’s previous mosque. The expansion came as the growing Muslim community increasingly struggled with overcrowding during Friday prayers, with some worshippers previously forced to pray outside.
Gamel Khair, a member of the Australian Lebanese Muslim Association and owner of the mosque, said the Muslim community in Young is expanding rapidly and has become an integral part of Australia’s multicultural society.
The mayor of the Hilltops region said the mosque’s expansion, along with the presence of an Islamic school in Young, has helped attract Muslim families to the town. Many have moved from major cities seeking a quieter and more closely connected community.
Young’s Muslim community is predominantly of Lebanese origin and has become an increasingly visible part of the town’s social and religious landscape.