I spent the morning of Australia Day at our official Australia Day ceremony, which was held at the beautiful Port Macquarie Glasshouse.

It was a wonderful morning during which we celebrated 46 of our community members as they took their final steps to becoming Australian citizens.

I congratulate each and every one of them on this fabulous milestone.

This is such an exciting time, as they officially make Australia their home and build their futures in the very best community with us.

I must also congratulate the deserving recipients of our Australia Day awards.

Celebrations are in order for our Young Citizen of the Year Molly Kemp, Senior Citizen of the Year Phyllis Hollis, Citizen of the Year Robyn Rawson, Environmental Citizen of the Year Judy Love, and Community Group of the Year the Lake Cathie RFS Brigade.

These dedicated and passionate people uphold the values of what it means to be Australian.

They show us exactly why the Port Macquarie-Hastings region is such a great place to call home.

Their spirit and mateship is exactly what being Australian is all about.

I'm so pleased that we recognised these amazing community members in 2021.

There are some truly inspirational stories from this year's nominees.

It certainly makes me proud to be part of a community that shares a common goal of being connected, compassionate, and looking out for each other.

No matter how you decided to spend your Australia Day 2021, whether you attended an event, or enjoyed a backyard barbecue with your friends and family, I hope that you took a moment to reflect, respect, and celebrate everything it means to be Australian.

I'm endlessly proud to be a part of a community that is so rich in its connections.

I look forward to seeing how we can continue to represent the Australian spirit in our community during the year.