Community spirit shines through on Australia Day
Published on 17 January 2023
Pyrenees Shire residents are invited to gather at the Goldfields Recreation Reserve in Beaufort on Thursday 26 January to mark Australia Day.
Australia Day is a chance to reflect, respect and celebrate together as a community.
The event will include a ceremony to welcome new citizens, as well as acknowledging the outstanding contributions of Pyrenees residents at the Shire’s annual Australia Day Awards.
Pyrenees Shire Mayor, Cr Ron Eason, said Australia Day 2023 provides an opportunity to look back at the highs and lows of the past year and celebrate what we have both as a nation and a community.
“In many ways it’s been another challenging year for Australia and Australians,” said Cr Eason. “Events such as the floods have affected our local community as well as many others around the country, but there’s also been a growing sense of optimism as COVID-19 restrictions eased and life returned to a something closer to normal for many of us.”
Council presents three awards on Australia day: Young Citizen of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Event of the Year.
“Once again we’ve had many amazing nominations for our Australia Day awards,” said Cr Eason. “It’s a privilege to be part of an event that recognizes incredible efforts of residents and community groups. This kind of community spirit is what makes the Pyrenees such a great place to live.”
The Australia Day event starts with morning tea at 10 am at the Goldfields Recreation Reserve, which is located at 39 Park Road Beaufort. The official celebrations, including the Australia Day Awards and citizenship ceremony, begin at 11 am, followed by a BBQ lunch.
Australia Day ambassador Dennis Banfield will join the Mayor, Councillors, Council Officers and community leaders at the event.
Free activities and displays for whole family include Jamie & Kim’s mobile zoo, airbrush tattooing, Walk the Walls Parkour, face painting and Furals wood workshop.
There will also be performances by the Pyrenees Chorale and Beaufort Municipal Band.
This event is proudly hosted by the Rotary Club of Beaufort and Pyrenees Shire Council, with support from the National Australia Day Council.