THIS year I think we are experiencing a demonstration of the deep and enduring Australian spirit, said the Deputy Mayor, Cr Bill Taylor, in his Australia Day address at the Bega celebrations in Littleton Garden on Wednesday.
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This was shown in the spontaneous and generous response by Australians in the immediate relief and the ongoing reconstruction of the lives of the survivors of the tsunami tragedy and this generosity, which has been instinctive and spontaneous, has been no more evident than in the Bega Valley.
Cr Taylor compared this year's Australia Day to two years ago when "we stood here in blazing heat with a pall of smoke in the distance."
"We were enduring the most severed drought in twenty years, bushfires were devastating the lives and property of many Australians in the eastern states and were about to get disastrously worse and Australians were being prepared to once again fight a war in a foreign land.
"Compare that with today, the weather is perfect, the drought is significantly reduced - there is even surface water in the Bega river - there is much less risk of bushfires."
Cr Taylor said that another significant trend which he had noticed in the last year was the acknowledgment of the history of our area.
IT WAS breakfast in the park for those celebrating Australia Day in Bega courtesy of the Bega Lions' Club.
Plates were heaped with sausages, bacon, an egg and toast with orange juice and coffee and tea to follow.
The crowd gathered under the trees was larger than usual as the official party arrived in historic cars with a guard of returned servicemen, the Bemboka Light Horse and guides and scouts.
After the unfurling of the flag, Rotarian Doug Brown took over as master of ceremonies and the president of Rotary, John Chapman gave the welcoming address.
Naomi Parker led the crowd in the sining of the national anthem and the Bega Valley Shire Deputy Mayor, Cr Bill Taylor, gave the Australia Day address.
He had just started the naturalisation ceremony of Pamela Ross, Teolitia Bobbin, Danny Halpin, Jennifer Smith and James Ellis, when the blackout started.
The sound returned half way through the ceremon.
Bega's Australian ambassador, Scott McGregor, gave an entertaining speech, but one in which he had certainly done his research on the history of the district, naming out pioneers and their achievements.
Mr McGregor was thanked by Ms Cathy Whybrow of Woolworths, who gave him an ambassador's pin and a basket of Bega Cheese.
Cr Bill Taylor presented the Citizen of the Year award to Tony McCabe, who has dedicated his life to the surf lifesaving movement, especially at Tathra.
Mr McCabe described how he and his family had regularly visited the beach as a child and how he had become involved in lifesaving.
He said he didn't expect accolades for the work he did as a volunteer, but eh thanked council for recognising his achievements.
He also made the point that those like him who gave so much time to volunteer work needed an understanding partner and he had that in Barbara Jackson and he thanked her and Judy Rettke who nominated him for the award.
Tom Cullen, the Bega Valley Shire Junior Citizen of the Year, was presented with his award by Cr Taylor.
Then the president of the Bega Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Robert Hayson, presented Chris Murphy with the Bega community citizen award and Adrian Beht with the Bega junior citizen award.
There will be more on Australia Day in Tuesday's paper.
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