Australia Day
Australia Day
Reflect. Respect. Celebrate.
Each Australia Day, the community is encouraged to Reflect, Respect and Celebrate our nation and our people – especially our strong sense of community as we work towards reconnecting.
Australia Day is a time to recognise the resilience of all Australians and to focus on what we can achieve when we move forward as a community and a unified nation.
Australia Day means different things to different people, and everyone is encouraged to acknowledge Australia Day in a way that’s meaningful to them. We acknowledge the significant contribution that everyone makes to our nation, from First Nations people who have lived here for 65,000 years to our newest citizens who call Australia home.
Australia Day is an opportunity to celebrate our cultural diversity and rich migrant heritage, which is very much part of our unique Australian identity and has helped shape a nation proud of its strong and successful multiculturalism.
Regardless of our origins or our past, it’s a day for Australians from all backgrounds and communities to come together to share stories, embrace our diversity, and celebrate our unity.
We all belong, and we all contribute to this nation’s story and achievements.
Australia Day in Bathurst
Each year Bathurst Regional Council Reflect, Respect and Celebrate Australia Day with a number of community events and activities. New citizens in our community are welcomed at the annual Citizenship Ceremony and the Bathurst Australia Day Awards see members of the local community recognised for the contributions and achievements.
What's On
Citizenship Ceremony | 9.30am
Join us in welcoming new Australian citizens will as they are presented with their Citizenship Certificates at the Annual Citizenship Ceremony.
When: 9.30am
Where: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre - City Hall
Morning Tea | 10.30am
Join us for an Australia Day morning tea served by the Bathurst Girl Guides.
Where: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre - Foyer
Australia Day Awards Ceremony | 11.00am
The Australia Day Awards recognise the significant achievements of local community members.
The 2023 Awards include:
- Citizen of the Year
- Living Legends
- Jo Ross Memorial Award Greening Bathurst
- National Trust Award
- Youth Arts Award
- Event of the Year Awards
Where: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre - City Hall
Free Pool Entry | 11.00am - 5.30pm
The community can enjoy free entry to the Manning Aquatic Centre this Australia Day.
Grab your mates and make a splash with free pool inflatables and water activities, plus a free BBQ lunch.
Where: Manning Aquatic Centre
Rockley Free BBQ | 10.00am to 2.00pm
Where: Stevens Park, Budden Street
Wattle Flat Free BBQ | 10.00am to 2.00pm
Where: Thompson Street Reserve
Annual Sofala Jerk Off - Jerky Making Competition | 10.00am
It’s time to perfect your best Jerky recipe… have you got what it takes to become the Jerk Off Champion?
The 5th Annual Royal Hotel Sofala Jerk Off Competition will be held this Australia Day along with live music and yabby races throughout the day.
Competition Rules
- There are 5 categories: Beef, lamb, goat, kangaroo and other.
- Each entry must contain 15 pieces of jerky.
- Maximum of 2 entries per category.
Prizes
Awarded for each category
- 1st: $150 + trophy
- 2nd: $100 + trophy
- 3rd: $50 + trophy
- Grand Champion
How to enter
Put your entry in between 10am and 12pm on the day at the Royal Hotel Sofala.
Entry fee: $5 per entry
Colouring-in Activities for Kids
Download and print 5 colouring-in activities for kids.
Download here
Australia Day Ambassador
We’re honoured to have Miss Lottie Dalziel, 2023 NSW Young Australian of the Year as our Australia Day Ambassador for 2024.
Lottie Dalziel didn’t realise how hard it was to get accurate information about recycling and waste when she made a New Year's Resolution to be kinder to the planet.
Rather than be disheartened, Lottie saw an opportunity. She founded Banish the same year as her resolution – 2018 – and made it her aim to provide Australians with reliable information and methods to reduce waste.
The Banish website and social media account is full of sustainability information, from how-to guides on composting to advice on planet-friendly food choices.
Lottie also runs BRAD – the Banish Recycling and Disposal Program. People send in hard-to-recycle items, such as blister packs, and Banish uses its partnership with TerraCycle to have them recycled in Australia.
The BRAD initiative helps thousands of Australians recycle their waste and has recycled over 2.3 million blister packs so far.
Lottie delivered a TED talk in 2020 on the power of community to fight climate change.
When
-
Friday, 26 January 2024 | 09:00 AM
- 05:00 PM