Townsville celebrates Australia Day with free family event
Date published: 25 January 2019
Townsville City Council is celebrating Australia Day with a jam-packed community event.
The day will include the traditional Citizenship, Flag Raising and Australia Day Award ceremonies, and will also feature an Aussie Fun Run, a free Aussie Breakfast and the Great Australian Bites.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk MP and Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC will visit Townsville for the 5th state ceremony held in the city.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said she is thrilled the Premier and Governor are again joining the Townsville community to celebrate and recognise our shared history and values.
“We’re lucky to live in a beautiful city that has a rich history and it’s fantastic that we will again have the Premier and His Excellency here to share our celebrations for 2019,” Cr Hill said.
“The flag-raising ceremony is an important tradition and highlights the role of our Defence Force in Australia today – while raising the flags from our nation.”
Cr Hill said Townsville will also be welcoming 122 new citizens and awarding the Australia Day Awards throughout the day.
“The Australia Day festivities are significant for a variety of reasons and one of those is that we get to welcome and congratulate our new citizens by sharing our country with them.
“We also get to celebrate the achievements of seven outstanding community members when we award them with their Australia Day awards.”
The event will begin at 6:45am with the annual fun run and the Flag Raising ceremony will conclude with a 21-gun salute and Air Force fly past.
The traditional proceedings will be followed by the Great Australian Bites held at Strand Park from 12pm.
The 2019 Australia Day Flag Raising Ceremony is presented by Townsville City Council in partnership with the Queensland Government and is assisted by the Australian Government through the National Australia Day Council.
Council also acknowledges the Australian Defence force for their support towards the Flag Raising Ceremony.
Australia Day Celebrations
Where: Jezzine Barracks
Key times:
- 6:45am: Fun Run begins
- 8am: Free Aussie Breakfast (for the first 500 people)
- 8:30am: Australia Day Awards Ceremony
- 10am: Flag Raising Ceremony
- 11am: Citizenship Ceremony
Great Australian Bites
Where: Strand Park
When: 12-4pm
Road Closures
Road closures will be in place within the Jezzine Barracks precinct between 5am and 12:30pm on Australia Day. No entry will be permitted from The Strand, Mitchell St and Cook St.
Noise Warning
The Australian Defence Force will be conducting a traditional 21-gun salute and the Royal Australian Air Force will follow with a fly past following the Flag Raising Ceremony.
