The community and visitors are invited to celebrate Australia Day 2022 on Wednesday 26 January 2022 with an exciting lineup of events being planned.
The day will kick off with a free barbeque breakfast hosted by the Rotary Club of Leeton at Leeton’s Mountford Park from 7.30am with entertainment by the Leeton Town Band.
The official proceedings will commence at 9.15am and will include a citizenship ceremony to welcome 20 new Australians to Leeton Shire. The ceremony will be livestreamed via the Leeton Shire Council Facebook page.
Mayor Cr Tony Reneker said he is looking forward to welcoming the community and visitors and hosting Leeton’s 2022 Australia Day Ambassador Andy Paschalidis.
Following the proceedings, a tasty bush tucker lunch will be on offer.
Savour some emu spring rolls and marinated kangaroo, sample a witchety grub pizza and indulge in lemon myrtle cheesecake and wattle seed ice cream courtesy of Michael Lyons.
Football lovers can enjoy a kick around with representatives from the Leeton United Football Club and Australia Day ambassador Andy Paschalidis following the ceremony.
In the afternoon, everyone is invited to kick back, relax and cool down at the Leeton Pool Party to be held at the Leeton Regional Aquatic Centre.
Admission to the pool is free (from 2pm to 8pm) with plenty of activities including games, inflatable ibis races and more.
Go for a ride on the Lions Train, sample some more bush tucker and chill out to some great music with a set by DJ Ken and a live performance by Wiradjuri music artist Dookie.
Leeton SunRice Ambassador Quest entrant Katelyn Mills will also be hosting a sausage sizzle and guessing competition, raising funds for her chosen charity Royal Far West.
The celebrations will culminate in the evening with a special lighting up of the Leeton Museum and Gallery in Chelmsford Place.
All events will be COVID-safe – attendees will need to check in via QR code and maintain social distancing.
Australia Day Committee Chairman Cr George Weston
encourages residents and visitors to help commemorate this
important national day of celebration.
“Australia Day is an opportunity for everyone living in Leeton Shire to think about what it means to be Australian and is an opportunity to reconnect with each other,” he said.
“It’s for everyone to share in – an opportunity to come together to acknowledge our collective contribution to Australia.”
In the effort to create events that are more meaningful, reflective, and respectful, and work towards changing the focus of Australia Day from a celebration of “nationalism” to a demonstration of togetherness, Council has taken steps to further engage with the Aboriginal community in the celebrations.
New street banners have been installed across town featuring creative artworks by students and local Aboriginal artists alongside the Wiradjuri translation of the Australia Day themes of reflect, respect and celebrate.
The banners are an important step in engaging and educating the community about the Shire’s Wiradjuri heritage which will also be used during other significant Aboriginal celebrations throughout the year.
Council acknowledges and thanks the Leeton and District Local Aboriginal Lands Council for their consultation and collaboration on these events and the National Australia Day Council for funding the banners. The funding was awarded through Council’s successful application for an Australia Day Community Grant.
A collection of photos of Aboriginal artworks and activities completed by the Leeton district schools will also be projected on to the Chelmsford Place water tower in the evenings of 24 January to 28 January 2022.
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure MP said this Australia Day, everyone is encouraged to Reflect, Respect and Celebrate our nation and our people – it is an opportunity to open our hearts, respect our differences, and celebrate our strength, our generosity and our strong sense of community.
“It’s a day where we can acknowledge the significant contributions that everyone makes to our nation, from First Nations Australians who have lived here for 65,000 years and everyday Australians doing extraordinary things to keep us safe, to our newest citizens who bring richness and strength from many cultures,” he said.
“But Australia Day means different things to different people, and we encourage everyone to mark the day in a way that’s meaningful to them.”
Queries on Leeton Shire 2022 Australia Day event can be directed to
Council’s Events Officer Fran Macdonald on 02 6951 3103.
