Published on Friday, 5 February 2021 at 11:35:44 AM
Celebrations kicked off at the Merredin Community Resource Centre for the annual Australia Day Breakfast on the morning on Tuesday, 26 January 2021. Approximately 200 community members attended from 8am and enjoyed a delicious plate of food cooked by the Merredin CRC staff and volunteers.
During the breakfast, Merredin CRC Chairperson Romolo Patroni welcomed those in attendance and acted as MC for the morning.
Later in the morning, Shire President Julie Flockart was welcomed to the stage to present the 2021 Community Citizen of the Year Awards. Speaking briefly about the importance of the awards, Councillor Flockart went on to announce the nominees and winners, who were all presented with a certificate by the Shire President and Temporary Chief Executive Officer Mark Dacombe.
The nominees for Citizen of the Year announced included;
Tyler Winter
Debbie Morris
Yvonne Gray
Mark Briggs
Julie Nicoletti
while the nominees for Senior Citizen of the Year included;
Mal Harper
Kerry Brown
and the nominees for the Active Citizenship Award included;
Merredin Community Resource Centre
A Choired Taste
The Shire of Merredin would like to congratulate the award winners, Yvonne Gray, Mal Harper, and A Choired Taste.
A citizenship ceremony then followed on, with Merredin welcoming three new citizens who made the pledge in front of friends and family. This was the first citizenship ceremony since COVID-19 restrictions came into place in March 2020. Congratulations to Rebecca Nunesca, Jennifer Reed and Stephanie Gregory.
The Australia Day pool party commenced later in the day at 12:00pm at the Merredin District Olympic Swimming Pool. All community members were granted free entry all day, and a free sausage sizzle for lunch. Both the kids and the adults enjoyed the giant inflatable slide and obstacle course brought down by the Merredin Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, as well as the PCYC disco provided by the Merredin Police.
Over the 6 hours, approximately 300 people attended the pool party, enjoying activities such as thong skimming, and coin tossing, while others enjoyed the crystal blue pool water and the big water slide. Many also enjoying taking a snap in the Australia Day selfie screen!
Australia Day celebrations in Merredin wrapped up with a Sundowner in the Pop-Up public piazza on Barrack Street. From 6.30pm, many families, friends, and individuals arrived at the event to dance in Merredin Police’s Blue Light Disco, enjoy a picnic dinner from one of our local eateries or the PCYC Blue Light Canteen fundraiser, and have a drink in the Pop-up bar courtesy of the Sports Council sponsored by Belgravia Leisure.
Activities ran late into the night, with adults and teens enjoying the bean bags, pallet furniture, and the parklets, while the kids had giant Jenga, chess, and a chalk zone to keep them occupied throughout the night. The night finished after 10pm, with the adults enjoying some late-night dancing with the kids at the PCYC disco.
The Shire of Merredin would like to thank event sponsors the Australia Day Council, as well as Merredin VFRS. and the Merredin Police.
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