27 January 2016
Long-time supporter of community events across the Sutherland Shire, property development and investment company PAYCE partnered with Sutherland Shire Council this year to help celebrate Australia Day, with ideal weather conditions attracting thousands of locals and visitors to the celebrations at Cronulla Beach.
For the early birds, the day started at 8.00am with the Australia Day Running Festival, where hundreds of competitors challenged themselves in one of four endurance and fun runs on and around nearby Wanda Beach. By late morning, the crowd numbers started to build in Cronulla Park as families picked out the best shade spots under the Norfolk pines and the best views of the concert stage.
The community concert program for families and friends commenced at 1.00pm in Cronulla Park with performances by local multicultural groups and local entertainers, Ettinghaussens, Grace Pitts and Jordan Tristan Thomasin.
For the kids, there was plenty to keep them entertained in the family fun zone, including a circus playground where they could learn to juggle, hula dance or unicycle. Local attraction, Symbio Wildlife Park brought along some cuddly koalas and not-so-cuddly reptiles for the more adventurous to experience a close encounter.
By mid-afternoon, the revellers were in full celebratory spirit and the Miranda and Engadine Musical Societies had everyone singing and dancing along to familiar songs.
As a lead into one of the more formal events of the day – the local Australian Citizenship Ceremony – the band Australian Played kept everyone on their feet with a selection of classic rock songs.
The main Australian Citizenship Ceremony for the Shire was earlier in the day at the Sutherland Entertainment Centre where 150 new Australians representing 35 different nationalities were sworn in, and then late in the afternoon a further six citizens took the pledge of allegiance to Australia on the Cronulla concert stage to loud applause from the crowd.
As dusk fell, one of the country’s best known and loved rock bands, Dragon, performed many of the songs that have become nostalgic favourites of fans both internationally and Australia-wide.
Mark Vincent, one of the Shire’s favourite sons then took to the stage in what was his 10th year of performing at the Australia Day event. Clearly a crowd favourite, his performance was a highlight, as was the appearance of Rachael Beck singing some classic opera pieces with a contemporary twist.
To finish off what had been a fantastic day, a spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky, much to the delight of young and young at heart.
PAYCE Managing Director, Brian Boyd said his company was extremely proud to be associated with one of the Shire’s biggest and most anticipated events of the year.
“On behalf of PAYCE, I congratulate Mayor Carmelo Pesce. his council and the band of volunteers for organising such a wonderful program of activities and entertainment for their community.“
PAYCE General Manager, Dominic Sullivan thanked Council for its hospitality and said he thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic atmosphere.
“PAYCE partnered with Sutherland Shire Council for the Australia Day festivities for the first time this year and again the huge turn out demonstrated the community’s strong pride in their Shire,” Mr Sullivan said.
This year’s event supported the Kirrawee-based charity, the Steven Walter Children’s Foundation, with funds raised going towards cutting-edge children’s cancer research at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.
