The rain fell, but that didn’t stop Tweed Coasters getting into the spirit of Australia Day.
Only the Lions breakfast at Kingscliff fell victim to the rain, with the decision being made at 7.30 in the morning to cancel the event for the second year in a row.
However, the food didn’t go to waste, with the group donating it to “You Need A Friend” to feed the homeless on the Tweed.
Down at Cabarita Beach-Bogangar, a small but enthusiastic crowd was on hand to join in the celebrations at a breakfast and pre-sentation at the Bogangar School. The event was hosted by the Cabarita Pottsville Lions and the Tweed Coast Rotary.
Former Tweed Mayor Lyn Beck was guest speaker, entertaining the crowd with a speech about early pioneer Maggie Murnane.
Highlight of the day was the naming the Bogangar-Pottsville citizen of the year, which went to Bruce Miller of the Blue Rose Cafe – one of the unsung heroes and volunteers on the Tweed Coast. Local surfing hero Chippa Wilson presented the school awards, which went to Jarrod Mercer and Hamish Stevens.
At Pottsville, all the action was at the Pottsville Sports Club and, while activities moved mainly undercover and although curtailed a little by the weather – the crowd still took part in lamington making, mini-golf and thong throwing, colouring in and a big day of bowls. The thong throwing competition proved popular with Mayor Barry Longland and Australia Day Ambassador Grant Goldman, who challenged each other to a “throw-off”, before heading over to the more formal Tweed Australia Day ceremony at the historic Tumbulgum Hal,l which will celebrate its centenary later this year.
The ceremony included an address by the Tweed’s first Australia Day Committee chairman Reg Mark,s who detailed the history of the day from 1818, when it was first declared a public holiday, through to today. Mr Marks, who is 101, was Tweed Chairman from 1984 for many years and still had an extensive knowledge of Australia Day.
