Decked out in Akubras on a scorching hot Canberra day, Hans Koenderink and his son Noah Djavan Keoni Koenderink looked every bit like Australians.
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On Saturday that became official as the pair, who moved to Australia from the Netherlands in 2010, received Australian citizenship from Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Commonwealth Park.
Father and son spoke glowingly of their new home and said they were "awfully proud" to become Australians.
Mr Koenderink said they originally planned to stay here for four years, but extended their stay after falling in love with the country.
They have travelled right around Australia, but can think of no better place to live than in Canberra.
"Keep it quiet, though, mate, keep it quiet," Mr Koenderink joked.
"It's just beautiful. We're just blessed here, absolutely blessed.
"We’ve travelled all around the world, but this is unreal. You just have to look around you at nature.
"I still can't believe it’s a capital [city], but there are no traffic jams."
The Koenderinks lived in Acton when they first arrived in the capital, then moved to Weston, which Noah has jokingly nicknamed "the wild west".
Mr Koenderink said one of the best parts of Canberra was its many "little pockets" in which you could always find something different.
"You get these combinations of food, music ... any kind of inspiration is here," he said.
"Canberra's very liveable. You've got it all."
Noah eagerly talked up Canberra's unique features as he looked out over Lake Burley Griffin at the Captain Cook Memorial Jet before Saturday morning's national citizenship ceremony.
"The birds in the morning, Captain Cook fountain ... Canberra's unique," he said.
The teenager, who was five when he moved here, said there was another distinctly Australian thing he had come to love.
"41 degrees Celsius," he laughed. "Good pool weather."
The Koenderinks were among 152 people from 42 countries who pledged to become Australian citizens at ceremonies in the ACT on Australia Day.
Across the country, 16,212 people from 146 countries became new Australians on Saturday, which marked 70 years since the introduction of Australian citizenship into law.
Welcoming the new citizens at Commonwealth Park, Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove said diversity was one of the things that made Australia great.
"We are as different as the land is vast, but that's what defines us," he said.
"We seek to be united as one."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the national ceremony he recently received a letter that he believed summed up what Australia Day was about.
It was from a man named Vernon, who wanted to say thanks for the opportunities Australia had given him since he fled war 25 years ago.
"Vernon and his family, and the families and individuals here today, are all making Australia a better place," Mr Morrison said.
"We can be so proud of our national story. Sure, it's not perfect, but no country is.
"The story of Australia is not a story of land mass. It is the story of a living, breathing, good-hearted people making the best choices we can, but always striving to be the best we can."
