Australia Day: Summer fun, community awards on the agenda as South West region gears up for January 26

As the Australia Day public holiday fast approaches, the South Western Times has your guide on what’s happening around the region on January 26.

Shire of Augusta Margaret River

After a three-year hiatus the Margaret River Australia Day Community Barbecue is set to return bigger and better than ever in 2023.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Margaret River, the beloved community event will take place at the Margaret River HEART in front of the Sound Shell, commencing at 8am.

The $5 breakfast barbecue, complete with fruit, tea and coffee, will precede the Shire of Augusta Margaret River’s annual citizenship ceremony, with up to 500 guests expected to attend.

The early morning event will also give the community a chance to meet a variety of first response crews in the area including Police, St John Ambulance, Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, Marine Rescue Margaret River, State Emergency Service and the Wallcliffe Bush Fire Brigade.

Shire of Boyup Brook

The Shire of Boyup Brook is inviting residents and visitors to join them at Sandakan Park for their annual Australia Day celebrations, which will include a free barbecue breakfast, a flag-raising ceremony and a short address by Shire president Richard Walker.

Along with the barbecue breakfast, the Shire will celebrate the achievements of some of its locals with the Australia Day Citizen of the Year award and the Kevin Henderson Memorial Award.

Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes

An Australia Day breakfast and a community awards ceremony will headline festivities for the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes on January 26.

The breakfast will take place at the Bridgetown Leisure Centre from 7.30am, with the citizenship ceremony and Citizen of the Year award kicking off from 8.45am.

Attendees will also be able to enjoy free entry to the pool during the celebrations.

Meanwhile in Greenbushes, a free community breakfast is set to take place from 8am at Thomson Park, welcoming all residents and visitors.

Along with the breakfast, hosted by GROW Greenbushes Inc and sponsored by the Shire, attendees will also be able to enjoy live music throughout the morning.

City of Bunbury

Residents and visitors to Bunbury will be able to celebrate Australia Day their own way with a wide variety of events and activities on offer throughout January 26.

The day will kick off from 5am with a Wardan Sunrise ceremony at the Nedigar Ngoorndingy Memorial Park, providing a time of reflection for the ancestors of Wardandi Country, followed by a Mayoral breakfast and Australia Day citizenship and awards ceremony at the Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell from 7am.

A wide range of activities will take over the town for the day from the Apprentice and Traineeship Company Fun Run and an Australia Day sailing race to Bunbury’s Strongest Men and Women, the Carey Park Scouts Obstacle Course, and Dinner at Dusk.

The day will conclude with the Skyfest Fireworks kicking off from 8.30pm over Koombana Bay.

City of Busselton

From community breakfasts to live music on the Busselton Foreshore, there will be plenty to see and do within the City of Busselton on January 26.

The Australia Day program will kick off from 7am with live music before a citizenship ceremony and citizen awards ceremony take place on the Foreshore Amphitheatre stage, followed by a sit-down breakfast.

The festivities will continue with the eighth round of the Ocean Swim Festival at the Busselton Jetty, a junior tennis tournament at the Busselton Tennis Centre, as well as live music and fun activities on the Foreshore and Busselton Jetty during the evening for Sun-Sets on the Bay.

Meanwhile in Dunsborough, a community celebration will take place on the Dunsborough Foreshore from 9am, hosted by the Dunsborough & Districts Progress Association, comprising of a flag raising ceremony, a citizenship ceremony and the Naturaliste Gratitude awards.

Shire of Capel

Residents and visitors to the Shire of Capel will be able to celebrate the town’s local heroes in the Shire’s citizenship ceremony and community citizen of the year awards.

The ceremony will kick off from 9am at the Eric Scott Reserve.

Shire of Collie

Festivities in the Shire of Collie will take place at Central Park, kicking off from 7.30am and featuring the Citizen of the Year award, Environmental award and Community Group of the Year award, followed by a free community breakfast.

Following the morning’s proceedings, locals and visitors can make the most of all-day free entry to the Collie Mineworkers Memorial Swimming Pool between 7am and 6.30pm with free inflatables, games and ice creams.

The day will conclude with the Australia Day Picnic in the Park and Movie Night, featuring live music at Central Park from 5.30pm, giant games and bubbles and a screening of Muriel’s Wedding from 7.30pm.

Shire of Dardanup

Residents and visitors to the Shire of Dardanup are invited to come together to reflect, respect and celebrate at one of three Australia Day gatherings.

The Burekup Country Club outdoor area will host a community breakfast provided by the Burekup Lions Club from 7am and feature live music, a bouncy castle and a magician.

Dardanup’s Carramar Park will host a breakfast provided by Dardanup Lions Club and Dardanup & Districts Residents Association from 8am and feature a choir performance, live music, a bouncy castle and children’s games.

The Eaton & Millbridge Lions Club will be serving breakfast at the Eaton Foreshore from 8am, where a citizenship ceremony will be held along with the WA Community Citizen of the Year awards, and feature live music, Old McDonald’s Animal Farm, face painting, bouncy castle and a magician.

Shire of Harvey

Community members are invited to come together to celebrate Australia Day and welcome new citizens at the citizen awards presentations on Thursday, January 26 while enjoying breakfast at a number of locations.

The Harvey Australia Day Breakfast Committee will be serving breakfast at the Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre from 7am, while the Australind Lions Club will serve breakfast at the Ridley Place Foreshore from 7.30am.

Other Australia Day breakfasts will be taking place at the Binningup Country Club from 8am, and the Tom Pearson Pavilion in Brunswick from 7am.

Shire of Manjimup

Manjimup locals and visitors will be able to make the most of the January 26 public holiday with a day at the pool, with the Pemberton Pool open from 8am to 6.15pm.

During the day of festivities, which includes a free breakfast from 8am, the Shire of Manjimup will celebrate its local champions with the Citizen of the Year awards from 10am.

Walpole’s Pioneer Park will also join in on the celebrations with its annual Av’ a G’Day event kicking off from 8.30am and featuring live music from Eucalpto, wool classing, shearing and sheepdog demonstrations, a best dressed bogan competition and face painting.

Shire of Nannup

The Shire of Nannup will acknowledge Australia Day by inviting locals and visitors to reflect, respect and celebrate with a free breakfast at Foreshore Park.

A Welcome to Country will kick off proceedings, to be followed by the Nannup Lions Club breakfast from 8am, Australia Day address, and the Nannup citizen of the year awards.

Shire of Waroona

A wide variety of fun-filled activities will be on offer for residents and visitors to the Shire of Waroona.

Kicking off from 7.30am at the Waroona Memorial Hall, attendees will be able to start their day with a breakfast served by the Waroona Lions Club and then enjoy a wide variety of free entertainment including face painting, a petting zoo, mini golf, a street parade, sheepdog demonstrations and the Australia Day awards ceremony.

The event will also feature the debut of a culture cooking demonstration, showcasing the cuisines of the Shire as cooked by local residents..

Another Australia Day breakfast will be served from the Lake Clifton Herron Hall from 8am, while an Australia Day lunch will be provided to residents at the Preston Beach Community Centre from 12pm.