Newson Park was the place to be on Australia Day as locals from Harden, Murrumburrah, Galong and Jugiong gathered for the annual Australia Day Breakfast in the Park.

The day began with entertainment by The Boys from the Bush, Leigh Butt, Oscar Smith and Greg Jamieson and Jennie McDonald while everyone enjoy breakfast.

Emcee Hugo Saches guided the morning introducing this year’s Australia Day Ambassador.

Khushaal Vyas, a respected human rights lawyer, social commentator and not‑for‑profit leader, addressed the crowd with a message centred on fairness, inclusion and opportunity for young Australians.

His passion for community and justice resonated strongly and as a self‑confessed cricket purist, he shared in the crowd’s enthusiasm for the recent Ashes series.

The highlight of the morning was the presentation of the 2026 Harden Murrumburrah Australia Day Awards, recognising local individuals and groups whose contributions have strengthened Harden Murrumburrah.

Citizen of the Year – Sarah and Andrew Jones

This year’s Citizens of the Year Award winners Sarah and Andrew Jones have been instrumental in reinvigorating the Harden Show, contributing countless hours to ensure its continued success and relevance for future generations.

Their commitment extends deeply into local sport. Andrew’s leadership as Referee Coordinator for the Harden Murrumburrah Junior Rugby League has ensured smooth, inclusive and well‑run game days. His service on the Harden Country Club board has helped strengthen events and activities that draw visitors to the region.

Sarah’s work as Merchandise Officer for the Junior League has fostered unity and pride among young players and families, managing everything from design to distribution with care and creativity.

Junior Citizens of the Year – Murrumburrah Public School Rugby 7s Team

This outstanding group of young athletes have represented Harden Murrumburrah and Murrumburrah Public School with determination, humility and exceptional sportsmanship.

Competing in the NSW PSSA Rugby 7s Knockout, one of the toughest primary school competitions in the state they consistently demonstrated respect, inclusion and perseverance.

Their journey culminated in a remarkable victory at the NSW PSSA Rugby 7s State Final in Sydney, triumphing over the best public primary schools in NSW.

Their achievement has inspired younger students to get involved in sport and embrace new opportunities.

Supported by coaches Anna Shea and Brendan Shean, the team includes: Tanna Brooks, Holly Glover, Pip Jones, Sophie Ford, Phoebe Brown, Josie Brown, Dakota Medley and Indey Summer.

Community Group of the Year – Harden Red Devils Senior Rugby Union Club

The Harden Senior Red Devils Rugby Union Club have shown what can be achieved when passion, teamwork and community spirit come together.

Their growth over the past few years into a cohesive, community minded club has been matched by their generosity off the field.

Their annual charity golf day raised more than $7,500 for Can Assist in 2025, while their partnership with the Boorowa Rugby Club saw an incredible $16,000 donated to Ronald McDonald House in 2024.

Events like Ladies Day continue to bring people together and strengthen local connections.

On the field, their determination carried them all the way to the 2025 grand final, a testament to their growth and unity.

As they prepare to celebrate their 50th year in 2026, the Red Devils stand as a shining example of community leadership.

Town Care Award – Steve Pinney

This year’s Town Care Award honours a man whose quiet dedication has made a profound impact.

Since 2023, Steve Pinney has collected cans and bottles to raise funds for Can Assist, raising more than $20,000 for local cancer patients while helping keep Harden Murrumburrah clean and environmentally conscious.

Even while undergoing cancer treatment in 2024 and 2025, Steve continued his efforts, supported by volunteers and community members.

By the end of 2025, he had recycled over 210,000 containers, inspiring individuals, businesses and groups to join the cause.

His work also helped secure GrainCorp funding for new recycling bins across local sporting fields and public spaces.

Beyond this initiative, Steve volunteers with the Historical Society, supports the museum and recently stepped in to assist the Visitor Information Centre

Special Award - Lorraine Brown

The presentation of a Special Australia Day Award to Lorraine Brown, whose dedication has shaped the Harden Murrumburrah Australia Day celebrations for more than 30 years was very well received by the community.

Lorraine has been the quiet, steady force behind Australia Day in Harden Murrumburrah for more than three decades.

Since the very first awards ceremony back in 1993, she has been there every single year, planning, organising, coordinating and making sure that the breakfast and awards always came together with pride and purpose.

Many of you already know her well, and many of you have seen firsthand just how much work she puts in behind the scenes.

Although she is a previous Citizen of the Year, it felt important to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution she has made to this event.

Now, in 2026, as she hands the reins over to HRDC, this is the opportunity to say thank you

The celebrations continued throughout the day with a range of local activities, Harden Bowling Club hosted bowls, Harden Country Club had a free sausage sizzle and ran their popular Aussie Olympics, The Book Nook opened from 10am to 1pm, & Hilltops pools offered free entry all day.

Australia Day 2026 in Harden was a great community day and would not be possible without the generous support of our community, thank you Hilltops Council for their support, Supabarn Harden, Ziems Quality Meats, Ginos Fruit & Veg, Baking memories with Matilda for sponsoring food, Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society and Robyn Atherton for getting all the newspapers out for our display, Murrumburrah Harden Rotary and Hugo Sachs for emcee-ing, The Boys from the Bush, Leigh Butt, Greg Jamieson and Oscar Smith plus Jennie McDonald for singing for us, Keith Ward and Ken McKay for organizing the sound system, Nic Nadycz for putting up the flag, Harden Line Dancers - for organising the bread, Sarah Prosser Coffee – for coming along to sell us amazing coffee, Lodge Federal United 193 – for cooking the BBQ, Lorraine and Alan Martin, Carol Barker, Bev Stevenson, Steve and June Pinney - for delivering pamphlets, The Australia Day Awards Committee for assessing the applications, and everyone for coming along.