THERE will be a sea of green and gold in Swan Hill on Sunday as thousands sit down at Riverside Park for a hearty Australia Day breakfast for the 40th time.
Community groups will also host events at Lake Boga, Manangatang, Beverford, Nyah West, Ultima, Woorinen, Boundary Bend, Robinvale and Wemen.
Citizenship ceremonies will also be held on Australia Day in Swan Hill and Robinvale, with 35 people to take the oath or affirmation to become Australian citizens.
Swan Hill Rural City Council mayor Bill Moar encouraged people to support their local Australia Day event.
“This is a great chance to get together with your neighbours, friends and family, to celebrate what’s great about Australia and what’s great about our local communities too,” he said.
“With the bushfires around Australia, and drought conditions persisting locally, we all need a reason to get together and Australia Day is a good one.”
In Swan Hill, it will be the 40th annual Australia Day breakfast.
Swan Hill Australia Day committee co-ordinator Marie Schlemme has been involved since the first event in 1981.
“BPW had hosted a breakfast in 1979 for the opening of the Campbell Street shopping park. It inspired then mayor Barry Steggall to run something annually and the Australia Day breakfast was the result,” Ms Schlemme said.
“From 1981 until 1996, the breakfast was held in Campbell Street. Groups like BPW, Apex, Rotary, and the fire brigade were involved. Chefs cooked up breakfast, it was served from the old kiosk and afterwards, the street was washed down ready for shops to open, because it wasn’t a public holiday then.
“One of the wonderful things about the event is that some of these groups are still involved, along with many more, and will be there at the 2020 breakfast helping it run so well.”
This year, the breakfast will include music from the Daryl McKenzie ‘Code One’ Band, Jason Davies and Rianne Quaife; a display from Swan Hill Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club; and an address from Australia Day ambassador and Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle.
Local guides and scouts will run a mobile photo booth, with a selfie frame and lots of Australia Day props. You can take your own photos with the props and share on social media.
The breakfast will run from 6.30am until 9.30am, with the cooked breakfast served until 9am. Entry is free.
The cost for breakfast is $8 for adults, or $4 for children under 12.
People are asked to enter via the southern gate on Monash Drive (near the weighbridge).
Car parking, including disabled parking close to the entrance, will be available with assistance from SES.
