Bathurst Australia Day festivities in Machattie Park this year will reflect the city’s farming heritage, so get the family together for some good old-fashioned country fun.
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The will feature cow milking and butter making, shearing, spinning and weaving and woodworking demonstrations that are sure to entertain everyone.
There will also be whip cracking, a healthy dose of bush poetry, live music by the Nodding Thistles and Lawson’s Creek and just a touch of egg and spoon and sack racing.
The day of celebration on January 26 will get underway at 8am with the traditional Eglinton Barbecue Breakfast where people will have their first chance to meet our Australia Day Ambassador, sports commentator Andy Paschalidis.
The official opening will be performed by Mayor Greg Westman, and Councillor Ian North will act as master of ceremonies.
The Eglinton War Memorial Hall committee will host the event and Bathurst Lions will cook up a storm on the barbecue.
A highlight of the breakfast will be the egg and spoon races, thong and gumboot throwing and sack races.
Then it’s back into town at 9.30am for the Citizenship Ceremony, which this year has been moved from Bathurst Gold Fields to Machattie Park.
This will allow more people to welcome these five new Aussies into our midst. The ceremony will take place on the William Street side of the park.
From 10.30am the band rotunda will become centre stage for Bathurst’s Australia Day celebrations. Bathurst Regional Council’s events and conference co-ordinator Michaella Press said the city has a farming history, and the day’s activities have been designed to reflect this with a good country feel.
In addition to the livestock and demonstrations, Wires and Central West Reptile Education will give people the chance to get up close and personal with some reptiles and other Aussie animals.
There will also be free face painting, jumping castles and sumo suits for the kids.
Ms Press said the International Friendship Group will be cooking up a variety of international foods.
There will be a barbecue lunch, ice-cream and snow cones, and local vignerons will be conducting a wine tasting. Official proceedings will begin at 11.30am after council staff hand out Australia Day flags and tattoos to all.
The Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year will be announced at that time, along with the winner of the Jo Ross Memorial Award.
Our Australia Day Ambassador will also take this opportunity to address the crowd.
The music and activities will continue until 3pm.
