IN the lead-up to the Australian National Flag Day celebrations, Member for Calare John Cobb presented Bathurst Lions Club with a new set of flags to fly at Berry Park.
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Past president of Bathurst Lions Club Graham Webster said the club has more than 80 national flags, but flies the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags consistently.
“While we put up and take down the other flags to recognise special occasions, these three flags cop a hiding because they’re always flying,” he said.
Mr Webster said the club receives new flags from the federal member each year.
“It was a relationship we started when Bob Debus was the federal member, and Mr Cobb has continued it,” he said.
The club began flying the flags in Lions Berry Park, adjacent to the Evans Bridge on the Great Western Highway, 20 years ago.
There are six flagpoles – three of which are used for the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags, while the others are used to fly the flags of other countries on special occasions.
September 3 marks the occasion in 1901 when the Australian flag was first flown over the dome of the exhibition building in Melbourne. The flag was originally known as the Commonwealth blue ensign.
Mr Cobb said the flag is “our paramount national symbol which has served Australia for over 100 years”.
“It is an emblem of our nation and identifies us to the world as being ‘Aussie’,” he said.
“I’m pleased to be able to present the Bathurst Lions with large flags to fly at Berry Park, which really is the entrance to town for all people coming from the east via the Great Western Highway and from the north.”
Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are available from Mr Cobb’s office for schools, not-for-profit clubs and community groups.