Wauchope Rotary and Port Macquarie Hastings Council will provide a breakfast BBQ from 8am, and everyone is invited to join in the “all things Australian” entertainment and various competitions for all ages.

There will be activities for children including face-painting, and this year, a bike-decorating competition. Prizes will be awarded to best Australia Day-themed decorated bike, boy and girl.

There will be a sing-along with Sing Australia and other local entertainment, as well as morning tea available, featuring scones and, of course, Anzac biscuits.

The official party will arrive at 10:30am with the official ceremony starting at 11am in the Wauchope Showground Hall.

Liz Deep-Jones as the 2018 Australia Day Ambassador who will present the Key Australia Day address at the Official Ceremony.

Ms Deep-Jones is a multi-media journalist, TV presenter, published author, senior producer and public speaker. She is well known to SBS TV audiences, having established her career as a sports presenter, and more recently as a senior producer on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander news and current affairs program ‘Living Black’, and as Chief of Staff for the NITV news program.

Rotary president, Neville Parsons said the Wauchope Australia Day event will provide an opportunity for all Australians to come together to celebrate their country and culture, and reflect on what it means to live in the best country in the world.

Other presentations will be from Mayor Peta Pinson, State Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey, Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie, the 2018 Wauchope High School Captains and  Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s Australia Day Award Recipients.

A feature of the Wauchope Australia Day Ceremony is the cutting of the Australia Day Cake by the Australia Day Ambassador and the Mayor at the close of the Official Ceremony.

Neville Parsons is encouraging members of the community to plan to attend the Wauchope Australia Day community celebration and in extending this invitation, he reflected on just what Australia Day means to him:

“Australia Day is a day to celebrate all the things that at times we take for granted about life in Australia…

“I am sure that you, like me, can think of many more, and for most, we take these for granted. I ask that as we enjoy the celebration of Australia Day we give thanks for all of those past that have built this great country and in this community in particular those whose ‘blood, sweat and tears’ have delivered this great community that we proudly call home,” he said.

“Indeed, our challenge both individually and collectively as members of the Rotary Club of Wauchope is to ensure that we continue to build on this great legacy for the future generations.

“Plan to be at Wauchope Showground on Friday January to join our Wauchope community in celebrating all great things about being Australian and our local community,” added Mr Parsons.