The youngest daughter of Biloela's Tamil asylum seeker family has celebrated her first birthday outside of Australia's immigration detention system.
Tharnicaa Nadesalingam wanted a pink-themed party in a park, and that is what she got, with her family and supporters gathering at Lions Park in the central Queensland town.
Priya Nadaraja, Nades Murugappan and their daughters, Kopika Nadesalingam and Tharnicaa Nadesalingam, were living in the central Queensland town when their bridging visas expired in 2018 and they were taken into immigration detention.
They were found not to meet Australia's refugee requirements and were kept in detention in Melbourne, Christmas Island and in community detention in Perth.
They returned to Biloela on Friday after the new Labor government intervened in their case, allowing them to return home.
Tharni's birthday party was the last of several public events to welcome the family home.
Family friend and Home to Bilo campaigner Angela Fredericks said being able to celebrate with the family and the wider community filled her "with so much joy".
"For lots of the children here, for years they've been asking, 'Why have we been having parties [for Tharni] and the birthday girl isn't here?'" she said.
"I feel like today they've finally got to have that special day.
"It is so lovely just watching them run around, play tag, be cheeky and just be normal kids."
Sarah Broadley and her eight-year-old daughter Eloise Harlick were just two of the approximately 50 people who attended the party.
The Wiggles and other children's music played while the children played games like pass the parcel, limbo and tag.
"We're just really excited to be celebrating [Tharni's] birthday," Ms Broadley said.
"We've been doing it for a few years now but haven't had the birthday girl with us. So we're really excited to celebrate with her for a change.
Community 'so thankful'
The girl's so-called Biloela grandma, Lorraine Webster, said she was just so thankful she was able to celebrate this birthday with the family in person.
"It's one of the best gifts we can receive," she said.
"It's the start of a new beginning for them again back in Biloela."
Marie Austin said it was "the best day".
"To be out and do what any normal family takes for granted ... is super special," she said.
What's next for the family?
The family remains on temporary bridging visas, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday said he saw "no impediment" to the family's push for permanent visas.
"Those processes will take place," he said.
The family's lawyer, Carina Ford, said she was hopeful that decision would be made in the next week.
"It's just working out which power to use, which visa to grant," she said.
"I can't quite believe we're nearly at the end."
Angela Fredericks said the immediate priority now homecoming celebrations were over was for the family to rebuild their lives in their adoptive home.
"The main task is to get the girls back to school," she said.
"They are already asking, 'When do we start school? When do we go?'
"This week will be very exciting planning all that practical stuff and just getting to do normal things again.
"It was so wonderful this morning. Someone said they saw Nades at the shops with a shopping trolley. That's just such a mundane task, but there is so much joy in those moments."
She said the girls, especially elder daughter Kopika, were aware their lives had not been normal.
"It's going to take a lifetime to repair," she said.
"However they are now in their community and we can do that together."
