Media Release
Friday, 29 January 2010
Australia Day
It was great to see a record crowd turn out for the 30th anniversary of the Australia Day breakfast on Tuesday, with around 2500 people heading to Riverside Park to enjoy the festivities and almost 1800 people enjoying a hearty breakfast.
The outstanding success of this event once again is testament to the incredible hard work of the Australia Day Breakfast Committee and the collaboration of many community organisations and valuable volunteers. It is these groups and individuals that embrace the spirit of Australia Day and it is this spirit that brings the people to this event.
All other Australia Day events around the municipality were also very well supported including Ultima, Beverford, Manangatang, Nyah West, Lake Boga and Robinvale with the patriotic spirit evident right throughout our communities.
I would also like to thank our Australia Day Ambassador Ms Christine Nixon APM for her inspiring Australia Day address at the breakfast.
Deputy Mayor Cr Yvonne Jennings and myself were fortunate to have the opportunity to show Ms Nixon and her husband, Mr John Becquet some of the sights of our region on Australia Day eve, including the Catalina Museum and the Pioneer Settlement, and had a very enjoyable day out.
I would also like to congratulate our Australia Day award winners, including Citizen of the Year Jill Pattenden, Young Citizen of the Year Belinda Murchie and Event of the Year for the Greatest Dry Lake Bed Walk and Dinner.
Jill Pattenden has selflessly contributed outstanding service to the Swan Hill community for a very long time and her work with local Aboriginal and refugee communities, the Swan Hill Uniting Church, Swan Hill Theatre Group and Business and Professional Women (BPW), as well as being an inspirational role model makes Jill an outstanding and very worthy recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award.
Likewise, our Young Citizen of the Year Belinda Murchie continues to be an inspiration and role model for young people as a key member of the Swan Hill Rural City Council Youth Reference Group, her time as member of Youth Council, her involvement in the FreeZA Committee and youth-based events in the region.
Congratulations also go to the committee behind the Greatest Dry Lake Bed Walk and Dinner – an inspiring event that saw the attendance of more than 2000 people from the region and beyond, providing the chance to have some fun, socialise and demonstrate the great spirit of the Lake Boga community, their strength and resilience.
Community Planning
Just a reminder that the first draft copy of the City of Swan Hill Community Plan is now available for viewing.
A copy of the community plan is available from the Council offices at 45 Splatt Street or on Council's website at www.swanhill.vic.gov.au.
Community members are invited to attend one of two follow up meetings, to be held in the Town Hall on Tuesday, 9 February at 2pm or Thursday, 11 February at 7pm.
The meetings will provide the opportunity for community members to further discuss and assist in finalising the plan and I encourage our community to come along to one of the two meetings.
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