Published on Wednesday, 28 January 2026 at 9:46:48 AM
Australia Day celebrations in Merredin kicked off at 8:00AM on Monday, 26 January 2026, with the Town Centre coming alive for the annual free Community Breakfast hosted by the Merredin Community Resource Centre (Merredin CRC). For the first time in this vibrant new space, more than 100 locals and visitors gathered on the lawn in front of the stage to share breakfast, catch up with friends and family, and celebrate what it means to be Australian: our mateship, our resilience, and our diversity.
Attendees enjoyed a classic bacon and egg breakfast generously cooked by the Merredin Men’s Shed, alongside delicious hot coffee from Brad at Wheatbelt Coffee Time, a perfect start to the day. Acting Chairperson Roy Butler officially welcomed the crowd just after 9:00AM before members of the local Police Station participated in the flag raising ceremony. A slight technical difficulty with the music followed, leading to Emma Aitken taking to the stage and leading the community in the singing of the Australian National Anthem. It was a moment that was well-received by everyone in attendance and reflected the strong community spirit of the day.
Shire President Donna Crook and Cr Paul Boehme then took to the stage to present the 2026 Auspire Community Citizen of the Year Awards with the recipients as follows:
Citizen of the Year: Jasmin Cockram
Young Citizen of the Year: Jacob Billing
Senior Citizen of the Year: Rob Endersbee
Active Citizenship (Group or Event): Merredin Churches Fraternal
Congratulations to the above individuals and groups, and we would like to thank them for their time, energy and care they give to make our community better. Nominations for these awards are now open year-round, making it easy to recognise outstanding contributions in our community. If you would like to nominate for the 2027 awards, please head to the Auspire website here: www.citizenshipawards.com.au/nominate.
Following the award presentation, the Shire President concluded the event with the announcement of the 2026 Eric Hind Scholarship recipients as young musicians Lily Brunetti and Clancy Sutherland. Lily intends to purchase piano stand and piano lessons, while Clancy will be applying his scholarship to piano lessons.
Celebrations continued at midday at the Merredin District Olympic Swimming Pool, where the Shire’s Australia Day Pool Party attracted over 200 people for a fun-filled afternoon in the sun. Despite the cooler weather, attendees enjoyed pool inflatables, a live DJ, and free ice creams, watermelon and water, along with a popular sausage sizzle. The barbecue was generously cooked by Cr Peter Madigan, Cr Paul Boehme, and Peter and Bek from the Shire, helping keep everyone energised throughout the afternoon.
The VFRS inflatable slide was a highlight activity for the afternoon, alongside pool activities such as diving for coins and the much-loved biggest splash competition, which drew plenty of laughs amongst the participants. Well done to the winners who received a pair of brand-new goggles and lollies.
The Shire would like to thank everyone who attended, volunteered, and contributed to making Australia Day a joyful and inclusive celebration this year.
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