There will be plenty to celebrate this coming Australia Day in the Gunnedah community.

A host of activities are set to take place throughout the Shire to reflect, respect and celebrate on Friday, January 26 including open days at the Dorothea Mackellar Centre and Gunnedah Rural Museum and the Great Australia Day Cake-Off at the Gunnedah CWA Room.

Gunnedah’s newest Australian citizens will be welcomed at a ceremony underneath the gums at ANZAC Park and community barbecues will be held at Tambar Springs and Emerald Hill.

As part of the Australia Day Splash promotion, free entry will be offered at the Gunnedah Memorial Pool Complex plus a complementary barbecue.

On Australia Day Eve, the annual Australia Day Awards Ceremony will take centre stage at the Gunnedah Town Hall from 6.30pm.

The 13 categories in Gunnedah Shire Council’s Australia Day Awards are:

Citizen of the Year Award (21 and over)
Young Citizen of the Year Award (20 and under)
Ossie and Beryl Campbell Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award
Eve Turner Perpetual Trophy
Community Achievement Award
Cultural Achievement Award
Max & Mikie Maas Good Neighbour Award
Sports Person of the Year Award (21 and over)
Junior Sports Person of the Year Award (20 and under)
Junior Sports Team of the Year Award (20 and under)
Sports Team of the Year Award
Ivan Towns Memorial Award
Environmental Citizen of the Year Award (any age).

Special guests on the night will include award-winning and critically acclaimed Australian dancer, performer, TV personality and 2024 Australia Day Ambassador Todd McKenney who played a starring role in the hit musical The Boy from Oz, as well as fun-loving Australian poet Murray Hartin.
Chair of the Australia Day Working Group, Councillor Juliana McArthur, said this year’s national day of celebration is shaping up to be one of the best yet in Gunnedah.

“We have an array of fantastic events taking place throughout our Shire. There’s something for everyone to enjoy and feel part of to celebrate all the things we love about Australia.

“And, importantly we will acknowledge the wonderful contribution people living in our local community make to our dynamic nation at our Australia Day Awards Ceremony. We are really looking forward to having Todd McKenney along on the night to entertain the audience and make it especially memorable,” said Cr McArthur.

To view the full schedule of Australia Day events taking place in Gunnedah, or, to book a ticket to the Australia Day Awards Ceremony go to: https://www.thecivic.com.au/live-theatre--events

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.