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Your guide to Australia Day events around our region on Saturday.

SEYMOUR

This year’s event at Kings Park will start with a market and car boot sale from 9am, stalls still available. Market sites are $10, car boot sites $5. For bookings call Sarah on 0427203595. All proceeds go to the CFA.

The official ceremony with special guest from the CFA will take place at 10am and there will be free face painting, a sausage sizzle breakfast, cricket, art show, jumping castle, and live cooking demonstration.

There will be free cooking competitions including best tomato sauce (one jar, at least 300ml), best lamington (must provide six jam-filled), best homemade dip (must provide 1.5 cups), and best refreshing drink (non-alcoholic, 1litre).

All entries must be lodged by 9am at the Exhibition Shed. Winners announced at the official ceremony: $25 first prize, ribbon and bragging rights.

Another highlight promises to be the watermelon eating competition at 11am — competitors must be signed up by 9.30am at the Exhibition Building. Meet at main stage area at 11am — prepare to get messy and eat a lot of watermelon.

AVENEL

Avenel is this year hosting the major event for Strathbogie Shire at Jubilee Park.

The event starts at 9.30am and will include the Avenel and Strathbogie Shire Australia Day awards.

There will be light refreshments and a historical display.

The Australia Day ambassador is Royal Children’s Hospital chairman Tony Beddison, who owns a property in the area.

He is a former chairman of the Australia Day Committee, the Centenary of Federation (Victoria) a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a director of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and committee member of the Moonee Valley Racing Club.

Mr Beddison is chairman of the Beddison Group, a recruitment and staffing company.

NAGAMBIE

Nagambie again holds its celebration from 5pm at the Senior Citizens Hall.

Town awards will be announced and two citizenship ceremonies will take place. There will be a family dance and free sausage sizzle.

The Australia Day ambassador is Dan Romanis, chief executive of the Royal District Nursing Service, Australia’s largest provider of home nursing and the largest employer of community nurses, with a total staff of about 1500, including more than 1000 nurses.

Mr Romanis is also a board member of Peninsula Hospice Service, a leading not-for-profit provider of palliative care services on the Mornington Peninsula.

For a number of years he was a volunteer surveyor with the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards as a result of his interest in and commitment to improvements in quality standards in healthcare provision.

In 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society through the RDNS.