The day starts at 7am with the Rotary Community Breakfast at Apex Park. There will be a free breakfast, a performance by the Forbes Town Band and the presentation of the Rotary Community Awards.

The Diggers Family Swim starts at 10am at the Forbes Olympic Pool and after the action there will be a barbecue lunch.

The afternoon program from 4pm at Colin McKenzie Park (Frogs Hollow) has something for the whole family.

Activities include free children’s rides, pedal boat rides, local entertainment and a range of food and drinks available.

The CWA Damper Competition is another feature of the afternoon with the damper judging from 4pm. Entries will also be available for purchase after the winning damper is chosen.

Throughout the afternoon there will be displays from the Forbes Dragon Boats, the SES, the Rural Fire Service and Forbes Fire Brigade.

The entertainment includes performances from Quinn Anderson, Rustic Charm & Co, Paige Ellison and Chelsea Turner.

Community members are encouraged to bring along their picnic rugs and chairs and spend the afternoon on Lake Forbes.

The official ceremony will be at 7pm with a welcome by Mayor Graeme Miller, introduction of our Australia Day Ambassador, Sandra Bates, former Governing and Artistic Director of the Ensemble Theatre and the presentation of the Forbes Shire Citizen of the Year and Forbes Shire Young Citizen of the Year.

Ms Bates directed more than 100 productions for the theatre including The Act, The Gingerbread Lady, When Dad Married Fury, Rain Man, Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica, Let the Sunshine, Glorious, Rabbit Hole and Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.

For any further information about Australia Day events, please contact Community Relations Officer Blake Nicholson on 6850 2355.

There’ll be more in our special feature in Tuesday’s Advocate.