General News
21 January, 2024
Riverside crowds primed to party on Australia Day
Big crowds are expected at each of the Australia Day award ceremonies held across the district next week.
Big crowds are expected at each of the Australia Day award ceremonies held across the district next week.
In Horsham, people can attend a free breakfast at Sawyer Park from 7am on Friday prior to the awards and presentations at 8am.
Proceedings will include a citizenship ceremony, where people from India, Myanmar, Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand and the Philippines will officially become Australians.
At least 200 people are expected to attend the events.
Despite an increasing number of councils declining to host ceremonies on Australia Day - including nearby municipalities Hindmarsh and Buloke - Horsham Rural City Council Mayor Robyn Gulline said the day was significant for the community.
"Ceremonies across the municipality will reflect on all of our history, its highs and its lows," she said.
"We will respectfully celebrate our nation, its achievements and, most of all, its people."
Horsham will also host food trucks, live music and a water ski display on the Wimmera river.
The council is also supporting events at Brimpaen (8am), Natimuk (11am) and Dadswells Bridge (11.30am), and more celebrations will be held across the district, including in Dimboola, Jeparit, Nhill and Rainbow.
Meanwhile, many shoppers approached by The Horsham Times appeared indifferent to the decision by supermarket giant Woolworths to not sell Australia Day merchandise, and most said they did not buy the souvenirs anyway.
One resident said he thought Woolworths was motivated to fit in with conservative ideology.
"Woolworths is trying to fit in with the "woke" policy," Christopher Coyle, 62, said.
Bernadette Thursby, 36, said she did not buy Australia Day merchandise.
"It's a day where I'm not required at work, but I don't do anything to celebrate either," she said.
Peta Atkins, 54, also doesn't buy Australia Day items, saying she thought the day was over-commercialised.
"It's not what it's about," she said. "It's probably a good thing (removal of merchandise) and should've been done earlier."
Several people pointed out that much of the Australia Day merchandise was made in China.
Aldi later also joined Woolworths in announcing it would not stock items such as t-shirts, flags and thongs.