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Australia Day 2025: Celebrations and Reflections Across the Hunter Region

today20 January 2025

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Australia Day 2025 in the Hunter region offers a diverse array of events and celebrations across various LGAs, each reflecting the unique character and community spirit of their locales.

Newcastle

In Newcastle, the City Council has decided not to hold official Australia Day celebrations this year, a move supported by councillors from Kerridge, Labor, and the Greens, with opposition from the Liberal Party led by Deputy Lord Mayor Callum Pull who is unhappy with this decision.

Look Back: What Australia Day in Newcastle Looked Like in 2015

**UPDATE: The harbour swim is now cancelled due to water quality issues following the recent storms** Despite the absence of official events, the annual Newcastle Harbour Swim will proceed on 26 January 2025. This long-standing tradition, now in its 28th year, commemorates a unique local custom from the 1950s and 1960s when Stockton residents swam 700 metres across the harbour after missing the last ferry. The swim includes a single crossing starting from Stockton at 10am and a double crossing from Queens Wharf at 11am, with entries capped at 600 participants.

Meanwhile Ngarrama, held Saturday night, translating to ‘to sit, listen, and know’, is an annual event in Newcastle, held on the eve of Australia Day at King Edward Park. It invites the community to reflect on traditional life before 1788 and celebrate the rich culture of the Awabakal and Worimi peoples through truth-telling, performances, and historical acceptance. Watch Video>>

 

Port Stephens 

Port Stephens is gearing up for Australia Day 2025 with a variety of family-friendly events across multiple locations on 26 January:

  • Nelson Bay (Fly Point Park, 9:30am to 3:45pm): Activities include a Citizenship Ceremony, an RAAF flyover, live music and dancing featuring the Army Band, a food court with BBQ and ice cream, alpaca and sheep-shearing demonstrations, baby animals, over 90 market stalls, vintage and classic car displays, magic shows, free flags, jumping castles, pony rides, and giant games. A gold coin donation is encouraged to support local charities. Ample parking will be available at Neil Carroll Rotary Park.
  • Raymond Terrace (Riverside Park, 8am to 2pm): Highlights include a Citizenship Ceremony, the Port Stephens Citizen of the Year presentation, an RAAF flyover, a free Great Aussie Breakfast (8am to 9am), food vendors, children’s amusements, markets, a petting zoo, live music, and a dragon boat race. The nearby Lakeside Leisure Centre will host a free pool party from 10am to 3pm, featuring inflatables and a sausage sizzle.
  • Tilligerry (Henderson Park, Lemon Tree Passage, 8am to 12pm): The Tilligerry Lions Club will host a Great Aussie Breakfast, live music by “Jude and The Dudes,” an auto club display, face painting, and Australiana-themed activities. A Lemon Jam event will run from 12pm to 4pm, featuring raffles, a thong throw, a sausage sizzle, and an eating competition.
  • Karuah (Karuah RSL, 10am to midnight): Festivities include a fresh produce competition and auction with proceeds benefiting the local RFS, a thong-throwing contest, bowls games, live entertainment, and a fireworks display at 9pm.

In addition to these celebrations, Port Stephens Council is cracking down on unattended cool cabanas and personal items left on beaches during the Australia Day long weekend (25-27 January 2025). Rangers will patrol popular beaches like Fly Point, Little Beach, and Shoal Bay, removing unattended cabanas and marking them under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021. This initiative aims to ensure fair access for all visitors to the region’s prized beaches.

 

Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie City Council is reinstating its citizenship ceremony on Australia Day, marking a return to tradition after a year-long hiatus. The Lake Mac Festival will span from January to April 2025, with key events during the Australia Day long weekend. Speers Point Park will host a Super Family Fun Day on 25 and 26 January, featuring carnival rides, games, and Professor Bubbles. Fireworks displays will light up Belmont, Warners Bay, and Toronto Foreshore at 9pm on Saturday and Morisset Showground at 8:30pm on Sunday.

 

 

Maitland

Maitland Park will be the focal point for Australia Day 2025 celebrations, starting with a free BBQ breakfast from 7:30am to 9:30am. The day will feature live entertainment, inflatable sports games, classic car displays, a petting zoo, and face painting. Maitland and East Maitland Aquatic Centres will offer free entry from 10am to 4pm. In the evening, the Dive-in Cinema at Maitland Aquatic Centre will screen Babe at 5:30pm and Blueback at 7:30pm. Tickets are $5 for poolside seating and $10 for in-pool viewing. Australia Day Citizenship and Australia Day Awards Ceremony will take place at Town Hall.

 

 

Cessnock

Cessnock City Council will host a formal Australia Day ceremony at the Performance Arts Culture Centre (PACC) on 26 January 2025, starting at 10am. The event will include a citizenship ceremony for 33 new Australians and the presentation of Australia Day Awards to honour outstanding community contributions. Special guest Nic Newling, a mental health advocate, will serve as the Australia Day Ambassador. Entertainment will include performances by Wonnarua Elder Uncle Richard Edwards, country music artist Tara Naysmith, and Aboriginal Cultural Immersion presentations. Cessnock and Branxton pools will also offer free entry from 10am to 4pm, with a free BBQ, lamingtons, icy poles, and roving entertainers from 12pm to 2pm.

Look Back: What Australia Day in Newcastle Looked Like in 2015

 

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Written by: Newy Staff


Newy 87.8 FM is an FM radio station established in 2014 targeting Classic Hits music enthusiasts across Newcastle and The Central Coast, Australia. The station plays 60s 70s and 80s music. The station can be streamed online via this website or smart phone apps such as Tunein. In 2024 we opened a local newsroom dedicated to publishing Newcastle News.