Australia Day events in 2023

Published on 17 January 2023

West Wimmera Shire Council will welcome local guest speakers at Australia Day events later this month.

On January 26, there will be Australia Day celebrations in Apsley. Edenhope, Dergholm, Goroke, Harrow and Kaniva

Each event will feature a local guest speaker and live entertainment.

Edenhope local Wayne Caldow will be the guest speaker at Apsley and Edenhope events. 

Mr Caldow will speak about his volunteer work in Uganda with The Lioness Project, which provides girls in Uganda with alternatives to forced marriage.

Harrow’s Ron Penrose will speak at his community’s event his passion for painting.

At Kaniva, residents will hear from local minister Damien Tann, who is a former prison officer and special education teacher.

At Dergholm Ken Frost will speak about the Poolaijelo fires.

Australian author Gerald Murnane will speak at Goroke – he is best known for his novel ‘The Plains’, and his latest work ‘Border Districts’ received the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction.

Council Chief Executive Officer David Bezuidenhout said it was wonderful to have such a high calibre of residents willing to speak at these events.

“These people are highly motivated and have done some amazing things – we are looking forward to hearing them speak,” he said.

“We are privileged to have such accomplished and enthusiastic community contributors at our Australia Day celebrations in 2023.”

In addition to the guest speakers, local musicians will be performing at each event.

West Wimmera Shire Councillors will present Australia Day awards at some celebrations across the shire.

Details of each event are as follows:

Apsley – 11am at Apsley Lions Park Playground

Kaniva – 8am at the Kaniva Swimming Pool

Edenhope – 8am at Henley Park

Goroke – 8am at the Goroke Memorial Hall

Harrow – 11am at Johnny Mullagh Reserve

Dergholm – 11am at the Dergholm Memorial Hall