Bunyip hosts annual awards breakfast

A breakfast and presentation of local awards will be held at Bunyip to mark Australia Day on January 26.

The event that starts at 9.30am at the Bunyip Hall.

Bookings are not necessary but further information is available from the organiser Chris Kelly on 5629 6236 or 0419 894 252.

The function will feature an address by an Australia Day ambassador Angela Barker.

Bunyip is one of a number of centres in Cardinia Shire hosting events on the day, including presentation of Australia Day awards at the Koo wee rup community centre between 8.15 a.m. and 10 a.m. and at Lang Lang where there will be a ceremony at the public hall from 9 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

The main function in the shire will be at the Cardinia Cultural Centre in Lakeside Boulevard at Pakenham starting at 11 a.m. with a citizenship ceremony and announcement of nominees and winners of the shire’s annual awards for citizen, senior citizen, young citizen and community event of the year.

Guest speaker at the ceremony will be the shire’s Australia Day ambassador for 2019 Sabihe McDonald.

Ms McDonald left Iran in the 1960s to study nursing in England and migrated to Australia in 1970.

She has supported many immigrants and refugees to settle in Australia and has given her time to a range of other causes including raising funds for special schools, supporting children whose parents are in prison and those attending the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.