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Baw Baw Shire communities set to come together and celebrate 2023 Australia Day with address from Ambassador Matt Runnalls

From Aberfeldy to Yarragon and everywhere in between, communities across Baw Baw will come together to celebrate our nation's diverse cultures and achievements this Australia Day.

By news@gippsland - 23rd December 2022 - Back to News

In celebration of Australia Day, many events will feature BBQs, flag-raisings, kid's activities, music and more. For full details, including times, locations and event activities planned for each township, please visit Australia Day Community Events page.

Each year the awards honour and acknowledge individuals and groups nominated by their peers for their contributions and outstanding service to their community

Baw Baw towns events

In addition to the Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony in Warragul, community events will also take place in the following townships across Baw Baw:

• Aberfeldy (Sat 28 Jan)
• Athlone
• Cloverlea
• Drouin
• Erica (Sat 28 Jan)
• Hill End
• Labertouche
• Longwarry
• Narracan
• Neerim District
• Rawson
• Shady Creek
• Tanjil South
• Tetoora Road
• Trafalgar
• Warragul
• Yarragon

List current at time of print. Please check council's website closer to the day for any updates.

Australia Day Ambassador Matt Runnalls - CEO and Founder of Mindfull Aus

Australia Day awards

As part of the day's festivities, the annual Baw Baw Shire Australia Day Awards ceremony will take place from 10.00am on Thursday 26 January at the West Gippsland Arts Centre (WGAC) in Warragul.
Each year the awards honour and acknowledge individuals and groups nominated by their peers for their contributions and outstanding service to their community.

In addition to recognising this year's award winners, this year's ceremony will feature an address from Australia Day Ambassador Matt Runnalls, CEO and Founder of not-for-profit mental health foundation Mindfull Aus.

Matt is a Baw Baw native and a previous Baw Baw Australia Day Medallion recipient. A suicide survivor, Matt has worked tirelessly for the past seven years as a full-time mental health advocate to create awareness, acceptance and education. Using his knowledge of lived experience, Matt and Mindfull Aus encourage others to feel comfortable to speak up and manage their wellbeing. Mindfull Aus' offices are based locally in Drouin and they run numerous community events, speaking engagements, workshops and programs.

Citizenship ceremony

A citizenship ceremony will follow the Australia Day Awards at WGAC from 11.15am. The ceremony is expected to confer citizenship on approximately 60 brand new Australians from all corners of the world.

Light refreshments will be provided, and attendees will have the opportunity to mingle and welcome Baw Baw Shire' newest Australian citizens. Both the Australia Day Awards and the Citizenship ceremonies are open to all community members who wish to attend.

Following the citizenship ceremony, there will be entertainment, food and fun in the WGAC forecourt leading up to a flag raising ceremony at 1pm, followed by a BBQ and more entertainment.

Celebrating the diversity

Mayor Cr Annemarie McCabe said, "Australia Day is a day to celebrate our country's many cultural heritages and achievements. It is a time to come together as a community to reflect on our past, present and future, and an opportunity to celebrate the diverse histories that make up the fabric of Australian society."

"In Baw Baw Shire, the diversity of our communities will be proudly on display, with local community-run celebrations taking place in townships right across the region from Aberfeldy to Yarragon."

"I am particularly looking forward to the citizenship ceremony that will welcome around 60 new Australians, and our annual Australia Day Awards recognising some amazing members of our community who have done so much for others. It promises to be a wonderful, celebratory day and I invite all residents to take advantage of what is on offer if they can." Cr McCabe said.

Pictures from Baw Baw Shire Council website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com