"She mentioned that on Australia Day, new citizens in Maitland receive a small gift, and that's what started us thinking," Mr Pratt said.

Four years up the track and the new citizens will receive a hand-painted and signed boomerang from some of Maitland's artistic indigenous high school students.

With support from Ms Aitchison, Mr Pratt starting running painting workshops at his school and they proved immediately popular with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

"We thought the painted boomerangs would be a way to connect the traditional owners with new Australians in a meaningful way," he said. "It would show Australia's history but also its modern day diversity.

"So I've run a couple of classes each term and the students seem to have enjoyed them. Along the way we've uncovered some very talented young artists.

"Because the classes are open to students from year 7 to year 12, it has also helped build a sense of community because these are students who naturally wouldn't interact much because of their age differences."

The boomerangs are quality works, a point he stresses to the students.

As you would expect, some are more naturally gifted artists than others.

"Some are very creative and just use their own design from the start," Mr Pratt said.

"For those less confident, we have a number of templates the students can use to guide them."

Such has been the success of the program that this week Mr Pratt hosted a workshop at Maitland Regional Art Gallery for students from Grossmann, Maitland, Rutherford Technical High and Francis Greenway High Schools.

Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison, whose conversation triggered the idea, attended to receive the first batch of hand painted and signed boomerangs in readiness for the city's next new citizens.

"I'm delighted with how this has progressed," she said. "The boomerangs are a very personal, genuine welcome to our new citizens."

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