Australia Day planning in full swing

Award ceremonies will be held in six townships on Australia Day (January 26) - these being Violet Town, Avenel, Nagambie, Strathbogie, Euroa and Longwood.

The winners of Strathbogie Shire's Australia Day awards will be announced on the day in the following four award categories:

• Community Organisation of the Year

• Junior Citizen of the Year

• Young Citizen of the Year

• Citizen of the Year

The Community Event of the Year category was removed for 2021 after COVID-19 restrictions forced most events to be postponed.

Strathbogie Shire Mayor, Cr Chris Raeburn, said the winners of the Shire-wide awards would also be announced on the day.

"These awards recognise the people who give up their time to make our community a better place to live," Cr Raeburn said.

"I am incredibly proud to call Strathbogie Shire home.

"This is an opportunity for us to celebrate our people and our community."

Australia Day is about celebrating all the things we love about Australia: land, sense of fair go, lifestyle, democracy, the freedoms we enjoy but particularly our people.

It is about acknowledging and celebrating the contribution that every Australian makes to our contemporary and dynamic nation.

From our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - who have been here for more than 65,000 years - to those who have lived here for generations, to those who have come from all corners of the globe to call our country home.

The table below provides further information on Australia Day events in each township.

These events are open to all members of the public and will be conducted in a COVID-safe manner. Please consider what measures you can take to help protect yourself and others while attending.