Families, firefighters and friends all came together for Burnett Heads Progress Association’s free Australia Day barbecue breakfast to celebrate the national day.
Traditional Australian damper was a hit with young and old, along with the bacon, eggs and sausages served at the free community event.
Burnett Heads Progress and Sports Association member Keith Brown was tasked with cooking the bacon and said he thought he was doing a pretty good job as he had 25 years’ experience under his belt.
“This morning is a great social outing and a nice way to celebrate Australia Day,” Keith said.
“I just love working for our community and wouldn’t be anywhere else today.”
Community celebrates Australia Day together
Merv and Elsie Johnston said they were full after the delicious brekkie, saying there was no better way to start the day.
“We’ve really enjoyed the morning,” Merv said.
Burnett Heads Rural Fire Brigade members Darren and Nicole Thomas enjoyed the Australia Day breakfast with their family before heading off to fire training.
“It’s a great way to eat with family before we head off to training,” Darren said.
Burnett Heads Progress and Sports Association president Chris McLoughlin said there was a record number of volunteers who gave up their time, not only in the morning but also in the lead-up to the event and he expected a record number of participants to attend.
“The long-standing tradition in the community to not only celebrate Australia Day but also bring the community together at the start of the year, to start talking and meet each other,” Chris said.
“We believe this is a great way to build a stronger community.
“It’s a whole of community thing, and we even have visitors from town and Bargara who come along.”
Chris said one of the morning’s highlights was the amount of people who had participated by bringing their own plate.
“Each year we have asked the community to bring along their own plate, cutlery and cup,” he said.
“This year in the first half an hour we have only had to supply two plates, which is outstanding and it’s just really good to see the community get behind that initiative.
“It obviously helps save the environment and helps us as an organisation cut down our costs.”
Chris said the Australia Day community breakfast was made possible because of the support given to the Burnett Heads Progress and Sports Association by the Bundaberg Regional Council and Burnett Heads IGA.
Bundaberg Regional Council Community and Cultural Services portfolio spokesperson Cr Judy Peters said Council had contributed to all of the Bundaberg Region’s community Australia Day events.
Divisional councillor Scott Rowleson congratulated the volunteers and said events like the Burnett Heads Progress Associate’s free Australia Day barbecue breakfast wouldn’t be possible without their dedication.
“Without volunteers these sort of events don’t happen,” Cr Rowleson said.
Cr Rowleson presented an Aboriginal flag to the Burnett Heads Progress and Sports Association saying at next year’s breakfast it would be flying along the Australian Flag.
- Other ways to celebrate Australia Day in the Bundaberg Region
