Andy Paschalidis named Australia Day ambassador

Broken Hill will have an opportunity to pay tribute to a some of the city's most dedicated and diligent residents later this month at the annual Australia Day Awards.

Australia Day is celebrated on January 26 to acknowledge the importance of diversity, and consider what it means to be Australian.

The theme for this year's event is "Everyone, every story."

In keeping with this theme, Broken Hill's Australia Day Ambassador for 2019 is one of soccer's most accomplished story tellers, Andy Paschalidis.

Mr Paschalidis has worked as a sports journalist, presenter, commentator, and producer on numerous programs across TV, radio and print.

He is currently Managing Director of Elite Sports Travel, and sports media and promotion company Off the Cuff Pty Ltd.

Away from the workplace he has been involved in 300 community driven fund-raising events involving numerous amateur sporting teams, the NSW Cancer Institute, Variety Club, Humpty Dumpty Foundation, McHappy Day and other charities.

His love of soccer and philanthropy is showcased via Heartbeat of Football, a not-for-profit organisation founded by Mr Paschalidis that aims to promote healthy hearts in sport via player education and the installation of defibrillators on all sporting fields around the country.

Those wishing to meet Mr Paschalidis are encouraged to come along to the Australia Day Awards at the Civic Centre, or attend a Q&A session at the Civic Centre at 2pm.

The Australia Day Festivities will get underway at 7am with a BBQ breakfast by gold coin donation thanks to Lions.

Official proceedings including the flag raising, citizenship ceremony, and presentation of awards will follow at 8am.

After the ceremony locals are invited to cool off at the Broken Hill Regional Aquatic Centre, with free entry between 8am-6pm, aqua aerobics from 10am, and slide and pool inflatables available between 1pm-4pm.