BECOMING an Aussie will be no great challenge for well known Gympie local, Claudia Granshaw (pictured), when she takes her citizenship oath at Gympie Civic Centre today.

Once she got used to the climate difference between her native Germany and her adopted Queensland home, the rest of her 30-year transformation was easy.

"I arrived in Australia from the south of Germany, near Munich, where the temperature was -40 degrees. "I went from that to +40 degrees here.

"I nearly died,” she said.

That was January 15, 1987.

"I came out on a permanent residency working visa, based on my qualifications in wood technology.

"It was like an engineering degree but in timber,” she said.

With timber and timber products being a significant part of the Gympie region economy, Claudia found work at the CSR timber products factory, now Carter Holt Harvey.

"I worked for 20 years in various roles.

"After two years I met my husband Dennis and we got married in 1990, at Gunabul Homestead,

"We've had two kids. One is in England at the moment, travelling and working in a big pub.

"My daughter is in Brisbane doing sports science work as a sporting coach.

"They both went to St Pat's and played lots of sport.”

Along the way, Mrs Granshaw became deeply involved in the community, including work with the St Pat's tuck shop and a volunteering role with the Heart of Gold Film Festival, of which she is now artistic director.

"I feel I've been here forever and it seems a bit silly that I am only now becoming Australian.

"I feel like I have been all along.”