By Max Davies
BROADFORD is gearing up for a day full of activities next week, with the town’s Australia Day Festival set to return for its biggest event yet and Broadford and District Historical Society preparing a display of the town’s secondary education.
The Broadford Australia Day Festival will once again include a range of events and activities, including live music, roving magicians, and cartooning workshops, as well as free face painting, a miniature pet farm, pony rides and demonstrations by Snake Safe Victoria.
The festival, organised for the community by the Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell, is supported through joint funding from the Bendigo Bank Community Bank and the National Australia Day Council, allowing a wider range of free activities to build on the increasing attendance numbers of previous years.
Festival coordinator and Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell president Rose King said the festival continued to grow every year and was going from strength to strength.
“For something that was quite small in the beginning, that we used to hold on a small part of the service road in town, it’s become a much bigger event and we’ve been able to move down to the island park,” she said.
“People look forward to it. It’s a great event for the locals to be able to come out and enjoy some activities, food, and entertainment.”
This year’s Australia Day Festival will also be complemented by visits from a community groups and emergency services, including Mitchell Rangers Soccer Club, Broadford Football Netball Club, Broadford Lions Club, Broadford Fire Brigade, and State Emergency Service volunteers.
Broadford Cars and Coffee will also organise to have about 50 classic cars on display for visitors to admire.
“We’re hoping for nice weather, we’ve got a few activities that won’t be able to go ahead if it’s too hot but the festival will go ahead regardless,” Ms King said.
“It’s a great event, and it’s an opportunity for families and members of the community who might be doing it tough to come out and enjoy a day of free entertainment.”
Historical display
Broadford and District Historical Society will also continue its tradition of putting together a Broadford-oriented display for Australia Day, this year celebrating 60 years of Broadford Secondary College with historical memorabilia and archive photos.
The display will feature uniforms and photos of teachers, students, trips, and accomplishments, as well as historical documents regarding the planning of the school, finances, and attendance.
All buildings at the historical society will open from 10am to 2pm and provide an opportunity for visitors to explore Broadford’s past, including the Courier Office and the police lock-up. The Mills College will also feature a used book sale, with cheap books available for purchase.
The Broadford Australia Day Festival will begin at 7am on January 26 with a Lions barbecue breakfast, followed by the commencement of entertainment and activities at the island reserve from 9am to 3pm.
