IN addition to the towns listed in the Southern Grampians Shire flyer, other towns just outside the boundary will be celebrating Australia Day, including gatherings in Port Fairy and Harrow.
Harrow will hold their Australia Day event at 11.30am at Johnny Mullagh Park Recreation Reserve, with everyone invited to the free lunch and asked to bring a salad to share.
Guest speaker and ambassador will be Des Trotter, and music to be provided by ‘Jessie and Mat’.
In Port Fairy, Fiddlers Park will host a citizenship ceremony at 11am for nine new citizens and presentation of the annual Moyne Community Awards for Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, and Community Event of the Year.
Moyne Shire Council mayor, Ian Smith said the Port Fairy Lions Club will provide a free sausage sizzle from 10am and will also present their annual James O’Neill Award that recognises those quietly doing good in the community.
Moyne will also hold another community event the day before on Thursday, January 25 to “provide opportunities for shared reflection, healing and celebration”.
From 6pm, community members are invited to Pea Soup Beach Number 1 in Port Fairy, which is a significant location for local indigenous people, with a direct sightline to Deen Maar Island.
Cr Smith said the event will include a smoking ceremony and Welcome To Country from Gunditjmara/Kirrae Whurrong man, Brett Clarke, on behalf of Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation and catering by Worn Gundidj.
“We will hear from a range of community members and councillors, reflecting upon and acknowledging the past, and imagining the future,” he said.
“This is the second year Council has collaborated with Indigenous community members on an event around Australia Day - it builds on last year’s Ngootyoong Laka, Ngootyoong Yana event attended by over 300 people.
“I’d like to thank Kirrae Whurrong and Port Fairy resident, Ashley Couzens, Shane Bell, Brett Clarke, the Lion’s Club and staff for helping develop and arrange these events.”
The events have been made possible with a grant from the National Australia Day Council.
