When one of Nepal's top rock bands took to a stage in Canberra recently, it wasn't expecting a sell-out show.
The band is 1974 AD, and over three decades it's won hearts in its homeland for its blend of romantic rock and Nepali nationalism.
Guitarist Manoj Kumar KC says he is surprised at the fervour of Australian fans, 10,000km away from his home country.
"All the concerts are sold out, and people are really pumped up, all throughout the concert, and they're singing songs, like, back to back," he says.
He says a sellout show in Canberra would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
Canberra becoming 'little Kathmandu'
Thousands of people have swapped the Himalayas for a life in Canberra, the latest census shows.
Canberra's Nepal-born community grew 80-fold over a decade, from just 70 in 2011 to about 5,700 last year.
More Nepalese now live in the ACT than New Zealanders, and Nepali is the third-most-spoken language at home after English and Mandarin.
Canberra real estate agent Dikshant Dhungel came to Australia when his diplomat father was posted here more than 15 years ago.
He and his parents liked Canberra so much that they stayed.
"There's a good sense of community. It's getting big! It's awesome," Mr Dhungel says.
Architecture student Anusha Nagarkoti is one of many who left their families in Nepal to chase a dream of studying in Australia.
She says her rapidly growing community is culturally vibrant and supportive.
"I miss home, but here all our friends are like family," she says.
"We are learning to become independent, confident, from here. Back at home we won't – we'll depend on our parents."
Hard work 'in our genes'
The census data confirms that those who are part of the Himalayan exodus are mostly young, middle-class emigrants – particularly students.
Commonwealth incentives encouraged them to move to regional areas, and many have settled in Canberra for study, work or both.
Nepali workers are strongly represented in Canberra's child and aged-care sectors, restaurants and hospitality venues, and supermarkets.
Many hold down part-time jobs to fund their studies.
One Nepali chef told the ABC: "They all come from a hard-working culture. We all work hard. It's in our genes."
The census confirmed that Nepali migrants were predominantly young, with a median age of 28, and about 55 per cent male.
And Department of Home Affairs data shows more than half of all temporary visas given to Nepal residents in 2020-21 were for students.
Nepal's new ambassador to Australia, Kailash Pokharel, is a recent arrival himself; he began his posting to Canberra in July.
He says the capital's Nepali diaspora may be much larger than the official data suggests, due to confusion about filling in census forms.
"The current census, the 2021 census, says there are about 5,600 people here, but the community leaders say more than that … so maybe 10,000-plus," Mr Pokharel says.
The ambassador says there are many similarities between the ACT and his home in the Kathmandu valley.
"Canberra looks very nice, it looks like Nepali topography ," Mr Pokharel says.
"It is like a valley with the hills behind – but not as big as the Himalayas."
Choosing to stay or return home
While many Nepalis are seeking permanent residency in Australia, Mr Pokharel hopes they will take their skills and qualifications back to their homeland to help the country develop.
The World Bank says Nepal is one of Asia's poorest nations, and overseas remittances – money sent home from Nepalis working abroad – accounts for nearly a quarter of the country's GDP.
The landlocked nation lies between the world's two most populous countries – India and China – and has a population of about 30 million people.
While that's only a few million people more than Australia, Nepal is 53 times smaller, hemmed in by the Himalayan range to the north and jungle lowlands to the south.
There have been calls for skilled workers to eventually return home to help solve the developing nation's challenges.
Anusha Nagarkoti says she plans to return to her family after she completes her studies, and encourages others to, too.
"Don't forget that you've got to go back and do the same thing in your country, to develop your country also," she says.
"It's very important to take your skills home."
A taste of Kathmandu in Canberra
Some in the Nepali community says its members largely keep to themselves in their adopted home, but they have a growing influence on the city's food and music.
"Momo vans" have sprung up across Canberra, serving Nepali food for a burgeoning customer base.
Sushant Pantha has been in the ACT for four years and often steams the dumpling delicacies for homesick Nepalis near Edison Park in Woden.
"Basically, momos are dumplings — marinated with a lot of spices, vegetables and it's served steamed," he says.
"I think the chutney is the best part of it — the tomato sauce comes on the side, that just makes it good.
"You can call it the best dish in Nepal, the momo."
Steamed, fried, chilli, chicken, veggie, beef or paneer (cheese) – they're all relished by the local Nepalis who gather outside the van, sitting on upturned milk crates.
"They love the sauce, they love the marination, they love the juicy part of it."
Nepalis also love a party.
The country has a richly mixed religious heritage, with numerous Hindu and Buddhist festivals providing an excuse to eat, dance and be merry.
That was fully evident at the recent 1974 AD concert, as crowds waved Nepal's distinctive red and white flags in the standing-room-only event.
By the time the band closed with its fan favourite – the patriotic anthem "Nepali Ho" – the roof was nearly lifted off the venue.
Loosely translated, it opens with the line:
"Do anything, say anything, take me anywhere, but this heart of mine will remain a Nepali – no matter what."
Even, it seems, in Canberra.
