Community sentiment towards this year’s Australia Day activities in Albury, including the return of a Citizenship Ceremony, has been overwhelmingly positive according to the results of community consultation presented to AlburyCity Council overnight.
At its October 2024 meeting, the Council resolved to undertake the consultation to help guide activity on Australia Day for 2026 and beyond.
Of the 140 community responses received during the two-week engagement process, 70% of respondents supported Council’s role in funding and hosting Australia Day activities, while 23% were not supportive.
A total of 97% of those who attended the Citizenship Ceremony were either satisfied or very satisfied, as were 98% of those who attended the Australia Day activities.
Results showed 54% of the 140 responses were from those who attended the Australia Day activities at Noreuil Park foreshore and 49% attended the Citizenship Ceremony.
“We appreciate there are differing community sentiments about Australia Day and, despite 26 January being the national Australia Day public holiday, some activities traditionally held on this day can be challenging for some members of the community,” said Mayor, Kevin Mack.
“We were keen to learn what the community thought about the activities held on Australia Day this year, and the results of this consultation process will guide our future decision-making.”
The 2025 Australia Day activities and Citizenship Ceremony attracted nearly 5,000 attendees, an estimated five-fold increase in community attendance when compared with the same occasion in 2024.
