Kids have fun at Aust Day encore

A RAINY morning and overcast conditions couldn't stop Ipswich's Australia Day celebrations for a second time.

Kale, 4, and Georgia Carruthers, 5, from Ebbw Vale. Picture: Claudia Baxter

A RAINY morning and overcast conditions couldn't stop Ipswich's Australia Day celebrations for a second time.

Yesterday, a month to the day after the January 26 festivities were cancelled due to the threat of rain, the Ipswich City Council's held pool parties in celebration of Australia Day, despite a rainy and overcast morning.

Residents from across the Ipswich region made their way to the fun days in the water with festivities held across the Ipswich region with the Bundamba, Goodna, Rosewood and Leichhardt swimming centres.

There was free entry into the pool and free welcoming gifts given out to the first 500 entrants of the Leichhardt, Rosewood and Goodna pools and first 1000 at the Bundamba pool.

However, Ipswich City mayor Paul Pisasale said a postponed Australia Day won't be happening again.

Cr Pisasale said while the day had been a success he wouldn't be postponing the festivities in the future.

"They've all gone very, very well, but I've learnt one thing today," he said.

"You just can't postpone Australia Day.

"It's just not the same on a different day."

Cr Pisasale said while the weather might force Australia Day events to be cancelled, they would be replaced with a different celebration instead of trying to commemorate the day at a different time.

"If we do have to postpone it we'll call it something else.

"People came out today and they had a great time, but it wasn't Australia Day and it didn't have the same feel."

Cr Pisasale said the celebrations were also part of the ongoing community flood recovery commemoration.

"Ipswich's success in the future is going to be about creating opportunities for families.

"If there are natural disasters and floods then we've got to provide ways for families to get involved."

Cr Pisasale said the council wanted to provide residents across the region with events to encourage people to get more involved with the Ipswich community.

"If we can get help people to get out there and attending events like this one after they've been through a disaster like the flood then that's a great thing for the community."

Originally published as Kids have fun at Aust Day encore