The bright yellow little critters have been confirmed as making a second appearance at Bathurst’s Australia Day celebrations on January 26 next year.

The Rotary Club of Bathurst will again be hosting the event, expecting it to be even bigger than last year’s 500 participants.

This time around, the focus will be on helping out and involving local schools in Bathurst.

Participants will be able to purchase plastic, numbered ducks for $10, with $5 going to local public schools and the other $5 to charity.

The ducks will race 200 metres down the Macquarie River, ending at the George Street low level bridge.

Co-ordinator David Weekes hopes that the rain will continue in the next couple of months, so that conditions are optimal for the race.

“Success of the day largely depends on the weather. Last year, the river was quite dry, so many of the ducks became stuck in weeds and other obstacles and didn’t make it to the finishing line,” he said.

“So far, it looks promising, unless it goes the other way and floods.”

It will be an all-day event, with the ducks available for sale in the morning and the race taking place in the afternoon. Prize packs such as weekends away, local business vouchers and beauty treatments will be awarded to first, second, third and even lucky last. Duck races will take place all over the country this Australia Day.