Sandy Bay Regatta celebrates the old and the new

Published on 25 January 2023

The City of Hobart will welcome 76 new Australian citizens from 27 different countries at a ceremony held alongside a milestone celebration for the Sandy Bay Regatta tomorrow.

City of Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the ceremony was a fantastic meeting of our past and our future.

“This year marks the 175th Sandy Bay Regatta, which began on New Year’s Day in 1849, making it the oldest continuously running regatta in the Southern Hemisphere.

“To be welcoming our new Australian citizens at the same time as we are celebrating one of the oldest regattas in the world is a great representation of Hobart – a mingling of the old and the new.

“The City of Hobart is a long-time supporter and major sponsor of the regatta and we look forward to seeing it continue to thrive long into the future,” Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said.

Welcoming and Inclusive Portfolio Committee Chair Cr Dr Zelinda Sherlock said welcoming new citizens is one of the great privileges of local government.

“Immigrants are such an important part of the tapestry of our city. They bring new life, culture and innovation to our community,” Cr Dr Sherlock said.

“The Sandy Bay Regatta is an incredible representation of the vibrancy new Australian citizens bring to Hobart from around the globe.”

The regatta milestone will be marked with a commemorative tree planting by the Governor of Tasmania, her Excellency, the Honourable Barbara Baker AC.

Sandy Bay Regatta Chairman Peter Douglas reflected on the success of the community event to have endured for 175 years.

“Our goal is to make the Sandy Bay Regatta the world’s longest running and Tasmania’s most respected community regatta.”