AUSTRALIA Day celebrations got under way early at Tooleybuc.
Locals and visitors gathered at Mensforth Park for breakfast and ended the day at about 11pm at the Tooleybuc Sporting Club with a double shot of iconic Aussie rock.
The Tooleybuc Piangil District Action Group organised breakfast.
It was also a celebration for the group, as they received an Australia Day award from Murray River Council for Community Event of the Year.
The award acknowledged the great work they did co-ordinating hosting of the Shitbox Rally in Tooleybuc in March last year.
Tooleybuc Piangil District Action Group president Tracey Domaille said that after they accepted the invitation they found out that it was a big undertaking.
“We then found out we had to feed 500 people three meals and have camping facilities – showers weren’t required,” Ms Domaille laughed.
“We had no idea what to expect, but they were the happiest and most fun group of people you have ever met.
“It was a massive community effort with six groups contributing to making it a success and we were able to distribute just shy of $25,000 to the community groups involved.
“It was really fantastic.”
After breakfast and the presentation, 500 little yellow plastic ducks were released upstream of the Tooleybuc bridge and made their way down the river, at great pace, as they have done for the past 15 years.
Each duck was numbered and had a corresponding ticket that was available for purchase, to help raise funds for the Tooleybuc Piangil Fishing Club to put fingerlings into the river.
First prize of $500 went to Paul Henson who had the winning duck.
With the speed that the river was running, an extra boat was put on duck-catching duties.
Murray River councillor Ann Crowe said that anything that the community put on was good value.
“There are so many good things here, it’s very impressive for such a small population,” Cr Crowe said.
A big crowd gathered at the Tooleybuc Sporting Club to finish the day off with a double tribute show to two of Australia’s biggest iconic rock bands, Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil.
Gold Chisel and Power and the Passion took to the stage, and kept the audience singing along and dancing to legendary rock anthems with great performances.
