Australia Day Celebrations Across the Lithgow Region.

Australia Day will be celebrated across the Lithgow region on Sunday 26th January with free activities and entertainment for everyone and with the Ambassador’s Address to be given by award winning author Susanne Gervay.

“Australia Day will be on important opportunity to come together as a community to acknowledge our resilience and the generosity of spirit that has shone through this past year, particularly during these recent difficult months,” said Lithgow City Council Mayor Ray Thompson. “It will be timely to hear from an author whose work explores themes of togetherness, resilience, and the importance of an inclusive community spirit.”

The 2020 Australia Day Ambassador Susanne Gervay is an award-winning author, daughter of post war refugees and is recognized for her writing on social justice for youth and adult literature. She is widely published in Australian literary journals and anthologies including Quadrant, Southerly and Westerly.

She is part of the Kiribati Pacific Calling Fact Finding Delegation with Patrick Dobson father of indigenous reconciliation. She was invited to represent Australia with her story To East Timor – from Australia, in an IBBY and UNESCO sponsored illustrated anthology titled ‘Peace Story’. Her young adult novel ‘Butterflies’ is recognized as Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability. Her books, including picture books, give voice to inclusion, diversity and celebrate all Australians. Among the many distinguished awards for her work, Susanne Gervay was awarded an OAM for Children’s Literature.

Lithgow’s Official Ceremony will be held at Queen Elizabeth Park from 10:00 to 11:00am. It includes a Citizenship Ceremony, the NSW Local Citizenship Awards and Reg Cowden Sports Awards, and the Ambassador’s Address. Entertainment will be provided by the Lithgow City Band and Lithgow Highland Pipe Band. The Lions Club will serve delicious traditional homemade damper and tea prior to the event and a sausage sizzle afterwards, both free of charge.

There will also be free entry to the JM Robson Aquatic Centre from 8:00am – 4:00pm.

Celebrations will continue throughout the day across the region.

Australia Day celebrations at Portland will run from 10:00am to 3:00pm as Wolgan Street comes alive with entertainment and activities for the whole family including live music and performances by Lithgow City Band, Lithgow Highland Pipe Band, Ruth Lockley and the Lithgow Line Dancers. Celebrate the Portland community with the official ceremony and awards at 12:00pm, with a special address by the Australia Day Ambassador.

Celebrate Australia Day at Wallerawang from 10.30am into the evening at the Wallerawang Community & Sports Club with a festival of fun for all the family including music, mural painting, a giant slide, children’s activities, wood chopping, BBQ, performances and more. The official ceremony commences at 1.30pm with an address by the Australia Day Ambassador.

Grab your homemade billy carts and head to Rydal between 3:00pm – 6:00pm for traditional Australian activities and games for the whole family such as billy cart races, tug-a-war, gumboot tossing and yabby races. The ceremony to celebrate the Rydal community starts at 5:00pm.