Australia Day around the region will be a celebration of spirit– including all things Aussie.
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Water sports, civic awards, church services, barbecues and sausage
sizzles and some silly sporting events make up a variety of activities.
Northern councils will host ambassadors and community get togethers in parks, swimming pools, halls and main streets.
There’s lolly scrambles, flipper races, thong throwing, bungee challenges, lamington eating, pet parades and bush tuckers – among other things.
Tamworth’s Super Saturday Oz Day will be mostly centred around Bicentennial Park in Kable Ave from 7.30am-10pm, with a packed day program, including a free Aussie bush breakfast, cavalcade and concerts. The music will run from noon until 6.30pm when the Best of the Buskers Concert hits the stage. The grand finale is the traditional fireworks display at 9pm.
NUNDLE’S proceedings begin with a breakfast from 8.30am, followed by the official ceremony, biscuit nibbling competition, shearing demonstration and bushband celebration. It’s on at Nundle Public School and will finish at 11.30am.
MANILLA Memorial Pool is the venue for Manilla residents from 11am-1.30pm. The official ceremony will be followed by the traditional competitive sports events, some family fun events and a sizzling-hot barbecue.
BARRABA celebrations take place at the Barraba War Memorial Hall from 9am-noon. There’s entertainment, food and culture, including a free morning tea. While no celebrations are taking place at Barraba Pool this year, the water slide is free of charge on the day.
The grounds of BENDEMEER Hotel, on the banks of the Macdonald River, will host the town’s official ceremony and entertainment from noon to 2pm. Artist Charles Billich is Bendemeer’s Australia Day Ambassador.
TENTERFIELD has a church service, official ceremonies and some unmissable entertainment at Tenterfield Memorial Hall from 8am-11am. Paralympian Prue Watt, a gold medallist at the 2012 London Games, is a last minute standin for Australia Day ambassadorial duties.
URALLA’S 2013 procession will take off at 11am and snake through Bridge, Hill and Queen streets, arriving at Alma Park. The park will see food stalls and barbecue, jumping castle, competitive thong throwing and a lollie scramble. The event wraps up at 3pm.
WALCHA will celebrate the Australian spirit in McHatten Park from 10am with an official ceremony, art and exhibitions, plenty of competitions, some tucker and novelty events.
ARMIDALE activities focus on the racecourse in Barney St with true-blue fun from 10am-3pm. The official ceremony will be followed by a dog show and magic shows, a lamington eating contest, best-dressed Aussie contest, as well as the Run and Dunk Bungee Challenge.
At GLEN INNES, the basketball pavilion at the showground will house a range of activities and stalls from 11am-3pm. Locals can expect games, a jumping castle and a free piece of the Giant Aussie Cake, made especially for the event.
Dundee will run a breakfast and celebrate its history with a talk about the settlers’ stringy-bark huts and a presentation on local historical sites, photos and artefacts. Australia Day signs from Glen Innes along the highway will guide people to Dundee.
GUNNEDAH’S Australia Day is a family fun gathering in Wolseley Park from 8am-3pm, with some non-stop Aussie entertainment including the dash for cash, a pet parade, a barbecue and some tucker for all attendees.
GUYRA celebrations take place from 6.30pm-10.30pm at Guyra Bowling and Recreation Club, with official ceremonies, flag raising, and an awards dinner.
TINGHA’S ceremony is from 12.30pm-3pm, with an official ceremony, flag raising, awards presentation and luncheon.
BINGARA Museum is the first Oz Day venue there from 8am-12.30pm with a breakfast and official proceedings. This is followed by another ceremony from 1pm-5pm at Bingara Sporting Club, providing a day full of quality community entertainment.
WARIALDA Showground will be the place to celebrate Australia Day for Warialda locals, with a hot barbecue breakfast, official ceremony, and even more food afterward. The event runs from 7.30am-2pm.
LIVERPOOL PLAINS SHIRE activities include a 9.30am start for the Quirindi Awards Ceremony and the Twenty20 cricket match at Warrah Creek Hall at 10.30am.
From 1pm, an ambassador’s lunch and First Fleet landing re-enactment will take place at Wallabadah First Fleet Memorial Gardens, and some fun under the stars for Werris Creek locals will run from 6pm up until a fireworks show at 9pm.
ASHFORD festivities include plenty of food, family-friendly entertainment and flag raising at Ashford Swimming Pool from 8am-noon.
DELUNGRA celebrations and family fun day will be held at the multi-purpose hall in Railway St from 10am-3pm, with an Aussie feed and some family fun.
INVERELL begins its Australia Day happenings bright and early at 7.30am, with a barbecue breakfast and pipe band performance in Victoria Park. The official ceremony runs from 8.30am-9.30am.
MOREE’S festivities at Jellicoe Park begin from 8.30am with a big Aussie breakfast. The official ceremony will follow, as well as brass and pipe band entertainment until 11.30am. Young ones will also have some jumping castle excitement throughout the morning.
