Community sentiment towards this year’s AlburyCity Australia Day activities, including the return of a Citizenship Ceremony to the Noreuil Park foreshore, was overwhelmingly positive, according to the results of community consultation presented to Council overnight.
At its meeting on 28 October 2024, Council resolved to undertake the consultation to help guide activity on Australia Day for 2026 and beyond.
Of the 140 community responses received during the two-week engagement process, 70% of respondents supported Council’s role in funding and hosting Australia Day activities, while 23% were not supportive, highlighting diverse perspectives within the community.
A total of 97% of those who attended the Citizenship Ceremony were either satisfied or very satisfied, as were 98% of those who attended the Australia Day activities.
Results showed 54% of the 140 responses were from those who attended the Australia Day activities at Noreuil Park foreshore and 49% attended the Citizenship Ceremony.
“We appreciate there are differing community sentiments about Australia Day and, despite 26 January being the national Australia Day public holiday, some activities traditionally held on this day can be challenging for some members of the community,” acknowledged AlburyCity Mayor Kevin Mack.
“We were keen to learn what the community thought about the activities held on Australia Day this year, and the results of this consultation process will guide our future decision-making."
The 2025 Australia Day activities and Citizenship Ceremony attracted nearly 5,000 attendees, an estimated five-fold increase in community attendance when compared with the same occasion in 2024.
The community consultation process commenced on 24 January and concluded on 7 February 2025 with the survey accessible on AlburyCity’s Have your Say website. Hard copies were available on-site on Australia Day and at Council’s Kiewa Street offices, at the LibraryMuseum and Lavington Library, through Aboriginal Community Groups and at AlburyCity community centres.