How we celebrated Australia Day in Katanning in 1994

In 1994, nearly 30 years ago, Katanning held its fifth Australia Day barbecue breakfast, an event that attracted 535 community members, plus the 30 volunteers from service clubs who provided the feast.

Those who gathered for the breakfast consumed 80kg of sausages, 40kg of bacon, 36 loaves of bread, 38kg of tomatoes, 47 dozen eggs, 5kg of margarine and 80 litres of orange juice.

Covering the event on Wednesday, February 2, the Great Southern Herald reported that 12 breakfasts were delivered to the Katanning Hospital for those unable to attend.

Then Wagin MLA Bob Weise gave the Australia Day speech, and seven members of the Katanning community became Australian citizens.

The Citizen of the Year was awarded to Athol Reynolds, and Gillian Ramm was named Junior Citizen of the Year.

There was a tug of war display, won by Cliff O’Toole and Trevor Watson, the accidental breaking of the flag mid anthem, and the fire brigade shot jets of green and gold foam from their fire houses to the delight and amazement of children.

Australia Day 1994 was the time that all States and Territories came together to celebrate the national day on the same day, January 26.

And as at the Australia Day 2023 Katanning celebration, the miniature train was running.