Australia Day 2022: Gunnedah and Kootingal call off popular Australia Day events

AUSTRALIA Day is just around the corner but some celebrations around the region have been cancelled.

Gunnedah's annual raft race was called off on Tuesday due to concerns over water safety.

A Gunnedah Shire Council spokesperson said upon inspection the Naomi River at Cushans Reserve was not safe to hold the event.

"While every chance was given for the river to return to safe levels, the inspection found the water is still flowing too fast, there is significant flood debris still around and the entry and exit points are unsafe," they said.

Kootingal Lions Club have also cancelled their barbeque, thong throwing, pumpkin rolling and gumboot tossing that was set to take place at Memory Park.

Organisers of the events said they were "sad and reluctant" to call things off with COVID-19 risks and a decrease in visitors being the reason for the decision,

"It's a risk for the vulnerable people that we have that would have been helping out," they said.

Due to the postponement of the country music festival they said they wouldn't get their usual crowd and many members of the community were cautious to come out and celebrate.

While the club said they were disappointed to make the announcement they were hopeful that this gave locals more time to brush up on their thong throwing skills to take home the trophy next year.

Find out what's still on around the region below.

Earlier:

AUSTRALIA Day is right around the corner and local communities are gearing up to celebrate.

Here's what's happening across the region on January 26.

Tamworth will kick off its Australia Day celebrations at Tamworth Town Hall with a church service led by Tamworth Ministers Fraternal's Howard Barnes at 7:30am.

At 8:30am, the public are invited to a barbecue bush breakfast served by Rotary.

The Australia Day Civic Ceremony will begin at 9:45am with an Aboriginal performance, a Welcome to Country from Kamilaroi educator Len Waters and the citizenship ceremony at 10:35am.

The Australia Day Awards will be handed out from about 11:30am.

Film director Anupam Sharma is Barraba's Australia Day Ambassador.

The day begins with a formal ceremony, including the presentation of the Australia Day Awards and a speech from Mr Sharma at 11am at the Barraba RSL Memorial Hall on Queen Street.

At midday a community lunch will follow the ceremony along with free entry at the Barraba Pool.

A formal ceremony will kick off the day in Manilla from 8am, including the presentation of the Australia Day Awards and the Australia Day address from Mr Sharma at Pioneer Park on Manilla Street.

Afterwards, members of the public are invited to enjoy a community breakfast, damper competition and win a prize for the best Australia Day themed hat.

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Hosted by the Kootingal Lions Club, the day will begin with a morning of family fun at Memory Park near the war memorial.

Lions Club members will be cooking up a bacon and egg roll breakfast from 8am before the games begin.

The famous thong throwing competition is back, along with pumpkin rolling and gumboot tossing.

The shire is confident it's Australia Day celebrations can rival any in the state.

The popular Raft and Craft race is back, along with Aussie Fest at Donnelly Fields. - CANCELLED

An Australia Day Awards dinner will be held on the evening of January 25, led by Australia Day ambassador and NSW Farmers' Federation president Fiona Simson.

In Breeza a breakfast will start at 8:30am, with the Rotary breakfast cooked up in Gunnedah at Anzac Park from 9am.

Entry to Gunnedah pool, the Water Tower Museum and Dorothea Mackellar Centre will be free all day with fun and games at Kelvin and Tambar Springs.

In the afternoon there's a free screening of Kangaroo Jack at the civic.

With the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Narrabri has cancelled its Australia Day events across the shire.

The Australia Day ceremony will still go ahead with award nominees, citizenship ceremony participants and their families.

Pools will still have free entry on Australia Day with facilities open from midday to 6pm.

The official ceremonies will be recorded and put online for the public to watch at a later date.

Kicking off at the Royal Theatre at 10am a formal ceremony will include the Australia Day Awards, citizenship ceremonies and an address from ambassador Khushaal Vyas.

Warrah Creek Recreation Reserve will host cricket and a dog jumping show from 9am, and fireworks, live entertainment and free BBQ is scheduled for 7pm at David Taylor Park.

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