Australia Day done differently

Mount Evelyn firefighters washing cars.

Belgrave will host an afternoon of dance, music, discussion and celebration under the trees at Borthwick Park on 26 January.

For the 12th straight year, Belgrave Survival Day will encourage people to take a different look at Australia Day and celebrate the survival of indigenous culture.

The event will run from noon to 4.30pm and will feature a welcome to country,

smoking ceremony, indigenous and native american dance, singer songwriter Dave Arden, The Deans, the Mullum Mullum Choir and a didge mediation from Uncle Jowi.

There’ll also be food and information stalls at this free event.

Yarra Ranges Council will hold an Australia Day Awards ceremony at the Yarra Glen Memorial Hall at 1.30pm Saturday 26 January, following a citizenship ceremony at 10am.

In Cockatoo, the community will hold an awards presentation and breakfast from 7.30am to 10.30am at Alma Treloar Reserve in Pakenham Road.

Mount Evelyn Fire Brigade will host its annual Australia Day car wash and barbecue at Mount Evelyn Fast Fuel, 1 Monbulk Road, from 10am to 2pm on Saturday 26 January.

Donations will help the volunteer brigade to buy new equipment and help to protect the community.

The Rotary Club of Wandin will serve up a big breakfast at the Wandin Public Hall in Clegg Road, Wandin North, from 8am to 10.30am on 26 January.

Guest speaker Richard Tracey was a Federal Court of Australia judge, the Defence Force Discipline Appeal Tribunal president, and Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force.

There’ll also be entertainment from local bush poet Jim Brown.