AUSSIE PARTY TIME
THIS year's official Australia Day celebrations for Proserpine and Airlie Beach are set to take place at the Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) with up to 400 people expected to attend.
Whitsunday Mayor Jennifer Whitney said this was the first of what she hoped would be many occasions where Council partnered with a community organisation for a major event.
Cr Whitney said after reading about the Family Fun Day the sailing club had already planned (Whitsunday Times, January 10) she directed her office to contact the club and ask if Council could become involved.
WSC manager Angela Rae said she was more than happy for Council to build on the club's event.
"It's good for all of us because we don't end up having competing events on the day," she said.
"We are a community club and we're more than happy to work with Council and the community going forward."
Ms Rae said from the sailing club's point of view, Australia Day would be "all about a family day, where your kids are welcome, your grandparents are welcome and you can just relax and enjoy the day".
The day's activities will start at 11.05am with the start of the Dan Kane memorial race, which, now in its third year, is held in honour of a great Aussie battler and former member of the sailing club. From 12pm, Sailability will also be offering 10-minute sailing sessions to raise funds and encourage new volunteers to help with this charity.
All the fun kicks-off at 2pm with a jumping castle, face painting, popular Aussie backyard games for the kids and cricket on the lawn. Live music will be provided by Gunnaduo and Jon Griffin.
Presentations for the Dan Kane memorial race will be held at 3.30pm, followed by music from the Proserpine Citizen's Band and Council's official ceremony including the Australia Day awards presentations and the Australian citizenship ceremony. Official proceedings including the naturalisation of 14 people, will be led by mayor Jennifer Whitney and Member for Dawson George Christensen.
Mr Christensen said he was very much looking forward to being a part of the event and congratulated those people who had made the decision to become Australian citizens "with all the rights and responsibilities that entails".
While some of the activities, such as the citizenship ceremonies, are planned to take place in the open air, a back-up plan has been put in place in the event of rain, with additional shelter from an undercover area and large marquee.
