Wagga Wagga City Council weekly newsletter
Save the date: Spring Jam set to bloom this September
Wagga Wagga’s largest children’s festival is returning to the beautiful Botanic Gardens Precinct next month, offering a family-friendly jam-packed day out for all.
The Spring Jam children’s festival will be held on Saturday 28 September 2024, from 10am to 3pm.
Wagga Wagga City Council’s Events
Officer Emma Corbett said as the weather warms up, it is the ideal time for everyone to head out and enjoy the amazing Botanic Gardens space and everything this free festival has to offer.
“This is the perfect outdoor event for kids aged two to 12 years and their families and is a great way to kick off the school holidays,” Ms Corbett said.
“Spring Jam caters to all children, whether they like to dance to live music performances, get their hands dirty at creative workshops or get up close and personal with some of the animals from the on-site zoo.
“There will also be plenty of outdoor activities, a quiet book nook with scheduled book readings, tasty snacks to enjoy and more.”
Live entertainment from Australian children’s performers: The Mudcakes, Mr Snotbottom, Emily Who and The
Ukumamas will light up the main stage throughout the day.
Also, keep an eye out for the roving dinosaurs who will roam throughout the festival space sharing playful encounters with festivalgoers.
These life-like creatures are unmistakably ‘alive’ and ‘mostly friendly’, in this fun, educational performance, connecting young audiences to the real science of palaeontology.
At the Mini Makers Marquee, you can find curated workshops where littlies can get hands on making pressed floral cards, dinosaur fossils, and Wiradjuri bush bombs and bush scents with Felicity Kerslake.
“You can also join in on a Zoo Safari and ask our friendly and expert zoo staff all of your animal questions, and maybe even meet a new furry friend or two,” Ms Corbett said.
“Be sure to pack a picnic or buy snacks from Spring Jam's Food Alley. From dumplings and toasties to ice cream and fresh juice - there's something to give your tastebuds a treat.”
Bring the whole family along for a day of outdoor fun and excitement at this free festival, from 10am to 3pm.
To find out more details and see the
full Spring Jam program, go to the festival webpage at visitwagga.com/ springjam
Community
ADVOCATES:
Residents across our local area can now recognise their local champions by nominating them for a 2025 Australia Day Award.
Nominations are now open across five award categories: Citizen of the Year; Young Citizen of the Year; Environmental Citizen of the Year; Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award; and Walk of Honour. Council’s Acting Director Community Carly Hood said “The awards program aims to recognise the achievements of local citizens who have made significant community contributions.
“It’s a chance to reward and showcase the outstanding service, time, and commitment our unsung heroes provide to the broader community.”
Wagga Wagga 2024 Citizen of the Year Annette St Clair said “It was quite humbling to be chosen, or even nominated for the citizenship award.
“There are so many people out there doing such great things for our community. There are lots of volunteers, and without volunteers a lot of charities and organisations would not be successful.”
Chair of the Australia Day Awards Committee Mark Wetteland said “It’s important that anyone who thinks there is a deserving nominee to fill out a form, which can either be done online or via a hard copy at the Council Customer Service Desk”.
Nominations for Wagga Wagga’s 2025 Australia Day Awards will close at midnight, Sunday 24 November 2024.
For further information and to submit a nomination, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/ australiaday
Local primary school principals and music teachers are being encouraged to nominate students to perform our National Anthem at the Australia Day Awards ceremony on Saturday 25 January and the Australia Day community event on Sunday 26 January 2025.
To nominate a student for the National Anthem Competition, please contact australiaday@wagga.nsw.gov.au
2024 Citizen of the Year Annette St Clair, Council’s Events Officer Emma Corbett, and Chair of the Australia Day Awards Committee Mark Wetteland are encouraging nominations for the 2025 awards.
HOP ON DOWN: Zoo Keeper Hannah Wilkin and Events Officer Emma Corbett introduce two of the Zoo & Aviary residents who you can meet during the Spring Jam festival at our Botanic Gardens.
FURRY FRIENDS: (Bottom) Dixon Gow, 7, and her brother Chase, 9, with Regina, an Eastern Grey kangaroo joey,
Events & Tourism
people of the region.
The funds received are to be directed toward the postproduction of the film, including the hiring of a local recording studio to develop the original music score, engaging a senior Wiradjuri language expert, and covering fees for a number of Wagga Wagga based vocalists and musicians to be employed on this project.
The second successful funding recipient is the Country Women’s Association of NSW 2025 State Conference, hosted by the CWA Riverina Branch, to be held from 18 to 22 May 2025.
The annual conference attracts around 800 delegates, and hundreds more visitors and observers from across the state demonstrating a strong economic benefit to the city.
The third recipient is the annual Easter Egg Hunt to be held by Bidgee Strawberries and Cream on Friday 18 April 2025.
Three major events in Wagga Wagga and a film will be supported by Council's Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship 2024/25 fund.
At its Ordinary Meeting earlier this week, Council endorsed a total of $52,000 in funding under Round Two of the program towards the delivery of Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras, the Country Women's Association of NSW 2025 State Conference, Bidgee Strawberries and Cream's 2025 Easter Egg Hunt, and the Lords of the Soils film.
Council’s Destination and Events Coordinator Kimberly Parker said the program aims to support new and existing events and initiatives.
“We are excited to support innovative events and initiatives to deliver important economic, social and cultural benefits to the community, along with activating our public spaces, developing our destination's awareness and enlivening our city,” Ms Parker said.
Lords of the Soils, by Kensington House Entertainment Pty Ltd, is a film set in the 1860s and showcases a lost way of life exploring the complex relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
“This family-friendly event has been growing in popularity every year since it was first held in 2019,” Ms Parker said.
“It’s anticipated the 2025 event will attract up to 2500 attendees, with almost one-third of those coming from outside our local government area.”
The fourth recipient is the Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras festival, which aims to raise awareness of and acceptance for the LGBTIQ+ community in Wagga Wagga and surrounds.
The drawcard of the event will be the parade along Baylis Street, followed by a free family-friendly celebration at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Saturday 5 April 2025.
Funding through Council's Major Events, Festivals and Films Sponsorship program is now fully allocated for the 2024/25 financial year.
The 2025/26 program of funding will open in February 2025 for events and initiatives held between 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.
For more information about the sponsorship program and to see past successful recipients visit wagga.nsw. gov.au/eventsponsorship
Council is proudly hosting subsidised training covering domestic and family violence, coercive control, and digital safety to upskill local frontline workers and volunteers in organisations where domestic and family violence is not a primary function.
The three training sessions will be held at the Civic Centre on 27 and 28 November this year.
This opportunity is funded by Council in our commitment to the N o More Silence about Domestic and Family Violence initiative.
Community Development Coordinator Alex Osgood said service providers had identified the need for more accessible training options to support victim-survivors, particularly with the introduction of new coercive control laws as of 1 July 2024.
“Domestic and family violence is more than just physical abuse and can happen in any home,” Alex Osgood said.
“The introduction of coercive control laws in NSW criminalises coercive control in both current and former intimate partner relationships.
“It is essential for local support services and community members to understand how these laws operate in practice.”
Council is collaborating with Paula Smith at Upstream Educators who has an impressive record of developing evidence-based training in this space whilst also being an active domestic violence investigator.
“Paula will cover three key topics informed by the Wagga Domestic Violence Liaison Committee: coercive control, online and tech facilitated abuse, and financial and economic abuse,” Alex said.
“This training will provide participants with a deep understanding of how to recognise different types of abuse and how to appropriately respond.”
The low-cost and fully catered sessions at the Wagga Wagga Civic Centre are open to local frontline workers and volunteers in organisations where tackling domestic and family violence is or is not a core responsibility.
Secure your spot here: https://events. humanitix.com/dfv-coercive-controldigital-safety
