General News
24 January, 2026
Australia Day events set for Rainbow, Jeparit
Two Wimmera communities, Rainbow and Jeparit, will mark Australia Day with early-morning breakfasts, flag-raising ceremonies, and community celebrations, with events planned in both.
In Rainbow, the Lions Club of Rainbow will host the Australia Day gathering at Oasis Rainbow from 7.30am, with a breakfast BBQ followed by a meet and greet and official proceedings from 8.20am.
Lions Club of Rainbow secretary Peter Gosling said the morning would begin with a classic country breakfast.
“It’s a bacon and egg breakfast there; we provide tea, coffee, and a bacon and egg sandwich for breakfast.”
Mr Gosling said the event would also recognise a local achiever through a community award presentation.
“We’ll present the winner of the Rainbow Lions Club Citizen of the Year there,” he said.
He said the formalities will be simple, reflecting the community focus of the morning, but encouraged locals to attend and take part in the Australia Day reflection.
“It’s always an important occasion, and we invite as many people to come along as they can,” he said.
“It’s an open invitation sort of thing.”
The Rainbow gathering will also feature a guest speaker, with Mr Gosling confirming Dianne Marchment from Warracknabeal as this year’s speaker.
In Jeparit, the Jeparit Town Committee will host celebrations in Menzies Square from 9am, with a breakfast BBQ, meet-and-greet, and the ceremony beginning at 9.50am.
Jeparit Town Committee president Jason Hutson said the community would once again come together for a relaxed and family-friendly morning.
Mr Hutson said the meet-and-greet would include council representatives and the mayor before proceedings begin.
“From 9.30am , we’ll get all the shire representatives and the mayor, whoever turns up,” he said.
He said the ceremony would include the traditional Australia Day elements.
The committee secretary confirmed that Michael Sheill would be the guest speaker this year and that the host would not present any awards.
Mr Sheill, the guest speaker for Jeparit this year, is a fantastic conversationalist and now runs three art galleries for Brimbank Shire.
Mr Hutson said Australia Day is about celebrating in a local and familiar way.
“It’s just a day of doing something Australian sort of thing.”
He encouraged residents to attend, expecting another strong turnout.
“We normally get about 50 or 60 people, so be good to see as many as we can there.”