A multi-award winning author and lecturer and worldwide authority on children’s literature will be Walcha’s Australia Day Ambassador when he visits on Tuesday, January 26.
Dr Maurice Saxby AO will be met at Armidale Airport on Monday afternoon by the president of Walcha Council Australia Day Committee Margaret Wellings and her husband Brian before joining other members of the committee for dinner that evening.
He will have an opportunity to meet locals and sample the barbecue skills of Lion’s Club members at the Australia Day breakfast and be entertained by local musical group “Leftovers” and bush Poet Gordon Edmonds before giving his Australia Day address and presenting all the Australia Day Awards and competition prizes.
Born in Sydney, Maurice learned to swim in Botany Bay, acquired an enduring love of reading from the Municipal Library in Broken Hill in the 1930s, and later a love of Australian bush in the Riverina.
After service in New Guinea during World War II Maurice graduated Dux of Balmain Teachers’ College in 1949 and while teaching primary school children completed an Honours degree in English at night from Sydney University. Later he gained a Bachelor of Education while lecturing at various teachers’ colleges and universities.
After retirement Maurice completed a PhD at UTS with the thesis, Images of Australia in Books for Children 1941-1970. He has won multiple awards for services to children’s literature and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1995. He has lectured extensively in Australia, Britain, North America, Germany and Japan and has published five volumes on the history of Australian children’s literature, as well as many other academic works along with two picture books for children and three volumes of retellings of myths and legends from around the world.
Maurice has appeared on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes program and the Ray Martin Show.
He is retired and now lives at Hunters Hill in an over-55s complex.
The Australia Day Ambassador Program sends high achieving Australians to over 300 community celebrations nationwide every Australia Day. Ambassadors are sports people, scientists, businesspeople, actors and community workers who provide added inspiration and pride to Australia Day events and activities. Australia Day Councils and Committees in each state and territory coordinate the Australia Day Ambassador Program.
Walcha’s Australia Day activities will commence at 7.30am with ‘Breakfast In The Park’ at McHattan Park, Fitzroy Street and music to entertain. Children’s games and face painting will entertain the youngsters while others have the chance to catch up with old friends or show hospitality to visitors over a sausage, bacon, and egg.
Damper made and donated by Gary Fairley from Walcha Road Hotel will complete the breakfast with tea or coffee and juice.
The Walcha Scout Group will perform the Flag Raising Ceremony before the Australia Day Citizen of the Year Awards are announced. Australia Day Decorated Hat Competition winners, and children’s poster and poetry competition winners will also be announced so entrants should be at the park, as winners will receive their prize from Dr Saxby.
Donuts, drinks and lamington will be on sale as in previous years. This year the Walcha Dairy has organised for Dairy Farmers to donate milk, flavouring and equipment for milkshakes and John Stuart Crane Hire and Recovery has donated the ice cream. Quota members will be selling them and all proceeds from the milkshake sales will go to Ronald McDonald House Tamworth.
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