From left: Dawn Vernon, Ron Medley, Reg Vernon, June McFadden and Jim McFadden get behind their tribute to Australia at Noble Park RSL Club for last week’s Australia Day celebrations.Greater Dandenong Australia Day award recipients Citizen of the Year Ludmila Karganova, left; Volunteer of the Year David Poole, right; and Senior Citizen of the Year Lyn Bates with Greater Dandenong mayor Youhorn Chea and the Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs Daniel Andrews.By Shaun Inguanzo
THOUSANDS of Greater Dandenong residents took part in Australia Day celebrations across the city last week.
Festivities kicked off with a morning barbecue at Bunnings Sandown, provided by the Noble Park-Keysborough Lions Club.
A short but sweet citizenship and awards ceremony followed at the Drum Theatre, before several hundred residents flocked to Dandenong Park for an afternoon of entertainment.
In addition to the Dandenong festivities, Noble Park residents celebrated in style at the Noble Park RSL on Heatherton Road.
RSL manager Mark Wilkinson said the club moved its festivities indoors this year after two successive years of 40-degree heat.
Indoor entertainment, an alfresco area and a mid-afternoon flag raising were the highlights of the RSL’s Australia Day celebrations.
And, of course, the humble sausage played a key part of the club’s celebrations.
Members John Chisholm, Colin Smith, Tom Almond and Peter Diprose cooked snags all afternoon.
Australia Day was also a memorable day for 162 people who at the Drum Theatre that morning became Australian citizens.
