Centacare NENW community multicultural officer Suelyn Pakes organised the event once again, which saw about 40 people from a variety of backgrounds come together.

Ms Pakes said people from China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Venezuela, Botswana and Australia had joined in the festivities on Friday.

The Beehive Group celebrated with a “prosperity salad’” or yee sang – a colourful, fresh dish that is tossed as a group with chopsticks while sharing well wishes for the new year.

The group also celebrated with nian gao, a sticky pudding, which Ms Pakes said was used to inspire guests to say “sweet things to each other”.

Another Chinese new year tradition sees friends exchange money in small red envelopes, otherwise known as ang pow.

Ms Pakes said, traditionally, ang pow would be given to unmarried couples from married couples.

Ms Pakes said it was important to avoid wearing black or white clothing and opt for red or more colourful garments during the new year celebrations, to draw more good luck.

This year, 2016, is the year of the monkey in Chinese astrology – but Ms Pakes said it depended what Chinese star sign you were born under as to whether or not you would have good year. “Some animals don’t get along with the monkey,” she said.

People born in the year of the monkey are usually energetic, witty, loving and like to laugh, according to Ms Pakes.

Chinese new year started on February 8 and celebrations run for 15 days.