But the events that would usually include the Coleambally Australia Day breakfast and the Darlington Point barbecue lunch have been reformatted due to the Omicron phase of the COVID pandemic too.
Murrumbidgee Council general manager John Scarce said the number one priority for council is the safety of the community.
‘‘The number one priority is always public safety, and council resolved that large events such as these present too much of a risk with the current impacts of COVID-19,” he said.
Mr Scarce said he shares the disappointment with the community, as Australia Day events are always a special gathering.
He said reformat will allow for key parts of the day to still be shared.
‘‘A key part of the day is the ceremony to recognise the recipients of Australia Day awards, and these special people in our community will now be recognised on our Facebook and Instagram pages, and through the local media.
‘‘Another important aspect of the day is the visit by the Australia Day Ambassador.
‘‘It is planned to have this years ambassador, Viv Kartsounis, give an online address about her fascinating life and charity work.
‘‘We are looking forward to holding events in the future when it is safe to do so and we can ensure the health and safety of those wishing to attend and all staff and volunteers who are involved.’’
Ms Kartsounis is founder of Shoes for Planet Earth — a charity to provide running shoes to those in need.
Originally from South Africa, Ms Kartsounis is a very accomplished runner herself.
After immigrating to Australia in 2002, she discovered a passion for ultra-running and her achievements include running for Australia as part of the national women’s 100km running team.
It was after a trip back to poverty stricken areas in South Africa in 2009, that the idea of establishing the charity was born.
‘‘Our first box of shoes went to runners in South Africa, but we soon realised that the high cost of international shipping was more than we could afford,’’ Ms Kartsounis said.
‘‘Rather than abandon our vision we looked local to see if there was a need for shoes amongst the needy and homeless in Sydney and throughout Australia. We have never looked back.’’
Since then, the organisation has changed the lives of more than 80,000 people in Australia and throughout the world, through the gift of a pair of running shoes.
