One of the great things about January is that the Australia Day public holiday arrives fast enough to feel like another Christmas gift. Hooray!
If you’re one of those lucky enough to still be on holidays, then despite every single day being like another glorious Saturday morning, there’s plenty of reason to get out and about to celebrate with your fellow country-folk.
In a time when it’s so easy to identify the troubles of the world, Australia Day is the time to appreciate just how well we all get along down here. Our knack for establishing such a wonderfully functional version of multiculturalism is something we can all take pride in on January 26th.
Australia Day Live!
The focus on Australia Day is the announcement of the Australian of the Year Awards. Young Australian of the Year, as well as the Senior Australian of the Year and the Local Hero supports the major award, meaning the entire community is recognised for its efforts to make Australia a better place. We wish the ACT nominees all the best for the announcement on Monday 25 January. Here are the local entrants:
Australian of the Year:
David Morrison AO, Equality Advocate
Young Australian of the Year:
Nipuni Wijewickrema, Social entrepreneur
Senior Australian of the Year:
Professor Greg Tegart AM FTSE, Scientist and technology advocate
Local Hero:
Peter Cursley, Newborn care champion
Plus, as usual, the announcement will be followed by a big live show. This year, Australian music legend Jimmy Barnes headlines the evening, promising to deliver his classic Australian rock anthems. Along with Jimmy, the concert will feature chart topping Australian artists Samantha Jade, Nathaniel, and Cyrus Villanueva.
The Australian of the Year Awards and Concert is a free, family friendly event which is open to the public on the lawns in front Parliament House on 25 January 2016. Gates will open at 5:00pm so get in early to grab a spot on the lawns and enjoy the evening
So, regardless whether you’ll be watching the cricket, attending the mosque, enjoying a Pad Thai (or all of those things!) have a great time celebrating our little corner of the world. We’ll be joining you, so be sure to check out OutInCanberra’s Annual Australia Day Guide to see what’s happening around town on Australia Day.
