in the Republic of Macedonia also fell from 839 in 1996 to 752 in 2006. The number of people claiming Macedonian ancestry in 2006 was 1,415. The largest groups of Macedonians in the Geelong area could be found in Bell Post Hill (6.1%), Norlane (3.5%), North Geelong (1.3%), Hamlyn Heights (2.5%) and Lovely Banks (5.3%). Shepparton A community of Macedonians has existed in Shepparton since the 1930s. It is considered to be one of the original Macedonian settlements in Australia. Early pioneers from Aegean Macedonia began to come to Shepparton in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of them established Market Gardens. After the Second World War and the Greek Civil War a large number of Aegean Macedonians emigrated to Shepparton. The Macedonians of Shepparton soon became an active force in the Macedonian-Australian People's League and a branch was et up in Shepparton in 1946. Picnics, dances and functions were organised by the local branch. Although some Macedonians came to Shepparton in the 1960s and 1970s from Yugoslavia, the majority of the community were Aegean Macedonians. In the 1970s the St George, Orthodox Church was built although the local congregation was primarily Macedonian. The "Florina Saturday School and Community Centre" was built in 1978 next to the church. The school is still open today and teaches both Greek and Macedonian. Shepparton formed sister city arrangements with the two Macedonian cities of Resen and Salonica. In 1986 the first annual "Macedonian Cultural Day" was held. A 1966 figures puts the number of Macedonians in Shepparton at 600. In 1996, 322 people were speaking Macedonian at home, by 2006 this number had fallen to 213. In 2006, 254 people claimed Macedonian ancestry, of which 78 were born in the Macedonia. Werribee The city of Werribee between Melbourne and Geelong was one of the original Macedonian settlements in Australia. The first Macedonians arrived in Werribee in 1924, and had great success growing peas, cauliflowers and tomatoes. Many also took to dairy farming and market-gardening. In 1934 the "Greek Macedonian Community of Weribee South" was founded among the Grecophile Macedonians. By 1940 many more had come to the Weribee area, a Macedonian cafe and restaurant had also been set up. In 1947 a branch of the Macedonian-Australian People's League opened in Weribee. It took an instrumental role in the Hospital Appeals. The branch went on to establish a local KUD and social group. After the