Free Australia Day events a hit with Lismore, Casino families
A colourful Australia Day was celebrated in Lismore and Casino. See if you can spot some familiar faces snapped out and about.
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A colourful Australia Day was celebrated in Lismore and Casino after Australian Rotary secured funding to host free events from the National Australia Day Council.
Attractions like the Mini Rail have benefited and the beloved Lismore City Bowlo can once again allow people to use the greens.
John Oomen, area governor Casino Rotary, said Rotary wanted to introduce its own Australia Day Awards that celebrate the “little people that are making a big difference”.
“Three years ago, Rotary as a local Rotary Club decided they would like to do some Australia Day Awards,” Mr Oomen said.
“We wanted to focus on local people and this is the third year running.”
“We’re funded by the National Australia Day Council. We applied for that grant in October 2022 and in November we were approved and here we are.
“We wanted to do two things – recognise the local people for the work they do behind the scenes and ensure the local community has their own Australia Day events.”
Mr Oomen said the events were designed for inclusiveness.
The Rotary awards are quite different to local council Australia Day Awards.
“Our local council do a wonderful job of cycling it around the LGA, however, when Australia Day events are for example this year, in Woodburn, it’s 50 kilometres away,” she said.
“Many people can’t travel 50km to attend an Australia Day event, so we think to be inclusive we need provision for people in this town (Casino) and that’s why we’re pushing the fact and do the Rotary Awards along with it.”
Rotary Awards aim to celebrate the selfless giving of locals within their communities.
“It’s about people that do simple things in our minds, but they do it regularly,” she said.
“People that come when they’re needed, don’t ask to get paid – they just show up and do their job and are grateful for it.”
Casino residents enjoyed free train rides on the Mini Train line – the longest mini train track in the country at nearly 4km.
Casino held a smoking ceremony and welcome to country and attendees were entertained by DJs, train rides and the quintessential Aussie barbecue.
The greens of the Lismore City Bowlo were used by the Wild Rangers Animal Show team and a massive barbecue was held.
The event also included face painting by Lismore’s very own Spotty-Girl. Wondersnow provided snowcones and punters jived to the Cath Simes Band.
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