The annual Australia Day Breakfast in our Parks events held in Cootamundra and Gundagai saw a great turnout of locals and visitors on Sunday. The popular theme was repeated for 2025, with local Lions Clubs providing the catering for a relaxed breakfast, whilst free entertainment featuring popular and uniquely Australian music played in the background.
As families and residents gathered before the heat of the day, music filled Carberry Park in Gundagai and Albert Park in Cootamundra. Antique, vintage cars and motorcycles assembled in Cootamundra for all to enjoy whilst in Gundagai a local budding entertainer Riley Lott took to the stage and sang along with local band The Gundaguys. Cootamundra’s popular band Coota Connections provided the great music in Albert Park.
Australia Day Ambassadors, David Hall OAM kept the crowd enthralled in Cootamundra as he spoke about his experiences as a professional wheelchair tennis player and his passion for all things Australian. Whilst Tiffany Thomas Kane OAM inspired all with a very genuine account of her experiences as a Paralympian.
Pete Reardon and Paul Braybrooks did an amazing job as MCs in Gundagai and Cootamundra respectively keeping the proceedings moving along.
Australia Day Awards were presented by CGRC mayor Councillor Abb McAlister and Ambassador Tiffany Thomas Kane in Gundagai. Deputy mayor Councillor Ros Wight and Ambassador David Hall bestowed the awards in Cootamundra.
Award winners are as follows:
Cootamundra Citizen of the Year – Loraine Gallagher
Gundagai Citizen of the Year – Carol Harris
Cootamundra Young Citizen of the Year – Leila Ismay
Gundagai Young Citizen of the Year – Samantha Crooks
Cootamundra Sportsperson of the Year – Harry Simons
Gundagai Sportsperson of the Year – Mark Elphick
Certificates of Recognition of nominations were also awarded on the day. In Gundagai those recipients were:
Bonita Taylor Cheney Dewar Destini Warren Gail Rowland
Keith & Linda Wood Ray Gardner Lena Elphic Wendy Smith
Uncle Peter Smith Gundagai Tigers Junior Rugby League Under 15’s team
Michael Wheeler Liam Sadler
In Cootamundra those recognised for the nomination were:
Alan and Jill Thompson Tallarna T Parkhurst Dean Bradley
Annette Parkinson Lois James Penny Howse
Danyal Syed Margaret Large
Picture and caption:
1 – Gundagai Award winners. Carol Harris with Australia Day Ambassador Tiffany Thomas Kane OAM, cut the cake surrounded by those who were presented with Australia Day awards in Gundagai on Australia Day.
2 – Cootamundra’s Albert Park was the venue for Australia Day celebrations, pictured is Citizen of the Year Loraine Gallagher cutting the cake with deputy mayor Ros Wight and Australia Day Ambassador David Hall OAM, surrounded by Australia Day award winners.