Australia Day activities in Gympie

Rick Thomas, of True Blue Amusements, sets up one of the fun rides for today’s Australia Day festivities at Lake Alford.

Renee Pilcher

WE all have much to celebrate on Australia Day and there is plenty of celebrating to be done in the Gympie Region today.

Even that traditional Aussie barbecue will take on many interesting and tasty forms as we get together at beaches, parks and backyards across the region.

The fun begins early at Gympie’s Lake Alford, where Breakfast by the Lake will begin at 7am.

There will also be an Aussie Day talent quest and a vintage and veteran vehicle rally on the Museum side of the lake.

The adjacent Gympie Gold Mining Museum will offer half price entry as a special treat.

A colourful Dragonboat regatta will be one spectacular drawcard at Tin Can Bay, with groups from the Dragonboats, Sailability and Tin Can Bay Yacht Club joining forces to present some superb entertainment.

Golfers, lawn bowlers and their families and friends will also be in action, with an all-day barbecue from 11am at the Tin Can Bay Country Club.

Golf and bowls competitions will be open to the public and there will be entertainment for children, including tunnel ball, a ‘cooee’ competition, a tug of war for little and big kids, a cream bun eating competition and face painting.

The Bay program also includes live music.

At Widgee, barbies will be fired up and snags brought out to celebrate the national day in traditional fashion.

The fun begins at 10am at the Bushman’s Bar.

The long-awaited cook-off in the Best Widgee Style Damper competition will also be held today and aspiring master chefs are invited to bring an apron (contact Margaret Fittler on 5484 0420).

Gympie Regional Council will host an afternoon of entertainment and a light supper at Gympie Civic Centre from 4pm.

The occasion will centre on the formal welcoming of 20 new citizens to the Australian family, at a special citizenship ceremony.

Mayor Ron Dyne will also present the Australia Day awards.

Cr Dyne said our new citizens will be among 1600 people who will become Australians at more than 300 ceremonies across the nation.