Yarrawonga and District residents and visitors will be able to begin their Australia Day celebrations by joining in with the activities at Kennedy Park from 7am.
The 2024 Yarrawonga guest speaker will be 2021 Federation Council Citizen of the Year Vivian Spilva OAM.
In 1994 Vivian and her husband, past solicitor Andrew Spilva, moved and transferred their legal practice from Melbourne to Yarrawonga after enjoying a holiday cottage in Mulwala since 1976.
Over the past 30 years, Vivian has been very involved in many organizations where she has been able to use her skills to serve the community of Yarrawonga and Mulwala in various committee roles and positions.
Some of these include many executive positions with Across the Arts (Yarrawonga Mulwala Arts Council Inc), the establishment of Moira Shire Creative, board member of Yarrawonga Mulwala Community & Learning (Yarrawonga Neighborhood House), inaugural chair of Yarrawonga Health’s Helping Hands, founding co-ordinator of Festival of 1000 Voices, inaugural member of Federation Council - Ageing Well Advisory Committee Member and Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort Director 2021 – 2023.
For services to the community, Vivian was also awarded the Federation Council Citizen of the Year in 2021 and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queens Birthday Honors List also in 2021.
Yarrawonga’s Australia Day awards ceremony program:
7am – 8.45am Entertainment by Ray Macartney. Ray will be singing popular songs with an Aussie theme.
7.15am – 8.30am Free cooked breakfast provided by the Rotary Club of Yarrawonga Mulwala.
8.45amFlag raising ceremony, national anthem and acknowledgement of Country by Moira Shire Council Administrator Graeme Emonson PSM.
8.50amWelcome by Rotary Club of Yarrawonga Mulwala President Ron Kennett.
9amGuest speaker Vivian Spilva.
9.15amPresentation of Australia Day awards.
9.25amMoira representative address.
9.30amCeremony concludes to allow all present to be involved in other activities organised in the area for this special day.
Please bring along chairs if you have any, as only a limited number of chairs will be available on site.
Tungamah will once again hold their Australia Day celebrations from 8am on January 26, with a traditional Lions club breakfast, alongside some entertainment.
Presentations will follow the breakfast, and there is no doubt that there will be keen interest in the morning, with nominees for citizen of the year.
There will then be the organisation of the year, plus the event of the year.
Please bring your own seating as it will be all outdoors.
There will be limited seating available.
Federation
Federation Council’s Australia Day awards ceremony will this year be held at Morundah on Friday, January 26.
The official ceremony will begin with a Welcome to Country before attendees will hear from the 2024 Australia Day Ambassador, Anupam Sharma who is a filmmaker, speaker and author who was named as one of the fifty most powerful and influential Australian film professionals.
Following Mr Sharma will be the announcement of the Federation Council Citizen of the Year Award, Young Citizen of the Year Award, Community Group the Year Award, Local Achiever awards and recognition of the Federation Council Student Achiever Award recipients.
Attendees will also celebrate together as the shire welcome new Australians who today become citizens before live entertainment and a complimentary lunch will follow the ceremony.
Residents are encouraged to register their attendance for catering purposes via the Federation Council website, by calling 02 6033 8999 or by emailing communityevents@federationcouncil.nsw.gov.au.
Further town celebrations
An array of Australia Day celebrations will be held on Friday, January 26 to recognise Australia Day across the Moira Shire area and Federation Council.
Federation Council – 10am; Paradise Palladium Theatre, Morundah.
Moira Shire Australia Day awards ceremony is still to be announced.
Yarrawonga – 7am, Kennedy Park, Murphy St, Yarrawonga.
Tungamah/St James – 8am; Lions Park – Boyd Street, Tungamah.
Savernake – 8am, Savernake Hall - $25 per family (2 adults and 2 children under 12), $10 for primary children and those over 12. RSVP by Wednesday, January 24 to Kathryn on 0429 959 126.
Katamatite – 8am; Police Paddock – corner of Foy and Beek Streets, Katamatite.
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