Preparations are under way for the annual Mitchell Shire Community Awards and Citizenship Ceremony on Australia Day, Thursday, January 26.
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The 2023 celebrations are being organised by the Rotary Club of Seymour and will be held at Chittick Park.
The day begins at 8am with the Rotary’s Big Aussie Breakfast.
At 9.30am there will be a flag-raising ceremony and the Seymour Police Awards will be handed out at 9.45am.
There will be a citizenship ceremony starting at 10.30am where Seymour’s newest Australian citizens will be welcomed.
And between 10am and 1pm the Seymour Rotary Club will be cooking up a tasty barbecue lunch.
The day will include a range of fun family activities including:
Music by the Mitchell Shire Concert Band as well as local band Madoja;
A jumping castle;
Face painting;
Drawing and colouring activities;
The Seymour Car Club display; and
A range of community displays.
And, of course there will be the Seymour Gift foot race with cash prizes to be won. It has three categories: Open; under-16; and under-10.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Fiona Stevens said Australia Day was many things to many people, and importantly was a chance for the community to pause and come together.
“It’s also an opportunity to acknowledge some of our unsung heroes, both individuals and groups, and to say thank you for everything they do,” Cr Stevens said.
“Our community wouldn’t be the same without dedicated people, mostly volunteers, who work tirelessly amongst us.
“Australia Day also gives us the opportunity and privilege to welcome new Australian citizens to Mitchell Shire.
“Welcoming these new citizens amongst us is a fantastic part of the day and it’s a great chance for the wider community to experience the excitement of it.
“I look forward to officiating the citizenship ceremony, acknowledging their choice and achievement to become new citizens and celebrating this significant event with them.”
Mitchell Shire Council’s Community Awards will begin at 10.30am and will see five categories awarded:
Citizen of the Year;
Young Citizen of the Year;
Access and Inclusion Champion;
Community Group of the Year; and
Community Event of the Year.
The Citizenship Ceremony will be conducted after the awards for people who have chosen to officially become Australians.
Towns across Mitchell Shire will also be holding their own Australia Day events.
There will also be events across the local region including at Avenel and Nagambie.
Strathbogie Shire had not confirmed its events prior to this article going to print. To find out about Australia Day events within its local government area, access this article online or keep an eye on www.strathbogie.vic.gov.au/