The event recognising the Australian spirit has continued annually in Bega since 1991, after a group of community members worked together with the council to create the first one. 

One of the people behind the initial event was Arthur McDonald; a member of the Bega Rotary Club who was on Bega’s Australia Day committee. 

Mr McDonald said as other towns were holding Australia Day celebrations, people in Bega thought they should hold one too. 

The committee organised a breakfast in Littleton Gardens run by the Bega Lions Club, flag raising, a naturalisation ceremony conducted by shire president Edna Duncanson and relays and races along Zingle Place. 

The Bega Young Speakers gave a recitation and the Bega District Band provided entertainment for the crowd. 

The day’s ambassador was author Morris West, who wrote the books Children of the Sun and The Devil’s Advocate after a interesting life which included serving in the AIF during World War 2 and becoming secretary for Billy Hughes. 

“When we say we are Australian we don’t mean this land belongs to us, we mean we belong to the land,” he said during his address on the day. 

In 1991, the Bega Valley Shire Citizen of the Year was Caris Roarty of Pambula Beach and Junior Citizen of the Year was Garry Scarlett of Bemboka.

Ms Roarty received the award for her involvement in the Royal Life Saving Society, the Girl Guides and being on the board of the Pambula Hospital and Imlay District Nursing Home. Garry was chosen for the award due to his achievements in his career as a motor mechanic, which included taking out first place in the 1990 Work Skill Australia automotive mechanics section for the Southern Highlands region. 

Mr McDonald, who went on to become a president for his Rotary Club, has lived with his wife Barbara in the Bega Valley for many years.

He has attended every Australia Day celebration in Bega since that initial event he helped to organise. 

“But I’m only in the background these days,” he said. 

Each event has changed a little over the year, he said, for example there used to be displays in Bega shops’ windows and at the first event they had an honour guard of ex-servicemen. 

He was proud that the celebrations have continued after all this time.

“It’s a great result, made with the cooperation with council,” he said.