It's a new decade and with it MidCoast Council is hosting a new kind of Australia Day civic ceremony, with a consolidated celebration alongside the amazing Saltwater Freshwater Festival.
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This year's ceremony will include region-wide award recipients with nominations coming from all across the Mid Coast in six categories.
Council has changed the overall focus of the day, highlighting the importance of our local Aboriginal culture.
"I'm really pleased that we're taking steps in the right direction to ensure Australia Day is a multi-faceted celebration that showcases our strong Aboriginal heritage across the MidCoast as well as welcoming our new citizens and awarding outstanding members and groups within our community," MidCoast Council Mayor, David West said.
"I'm especially grateful to the organisers of the Saltwater Freshwater Festival for helping to build this wonderful relationship."
Mid Coast's Australia Day Ambassador for 2020 is Superintendent Kam Baker AFSM, who is taking time out of his ongoing firefighting efforts to represent his community on this special day.
"We're honoured to have Kam as our ambassador this year, he really is a wonderful example of what an Australia Day Ambassador should be," Mayor West added.
While Australia Day ceremonies are still being held across the Mid Coast, council's civic ceremony together with the Saltwater Freshwater Festival, begins at 8.30am at Forster Sporting Complex, opposite the YMCA in Lake Street, Forster.
The citizenship ceremony, speeches and Australia Day awards presentation will run until 10am when the festival will begin.
Saltwater Freshwater Festival, an initiative of Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance (SWFW), has attracted more than 50,000 attendees since 2010 and has engaged the talents and skills of more than 300 volunteers.
As always the festival will include food stalls, an arts and craft market, performances and cultural workshops in canoes, dance, weaving and language as well as elders storytelling and bush tucker tours.
Entry is a gold coin donation and this is an alcohol and smoke free event.
For everything you need to know about the Saltwater Freshwater Festival, head to their website http://www.saltwaterfreshwater.com.au/
And for a full list of all Australia Day ceremonies taking place across the MidCoast, head to Council's website www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/australiaday
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