04 FEBRUARY 2026 | ISSUE 589 | FREE
GOULBURN RIVER & RANGES
QUIETLY, PROUDLY AND TOGETHER
Nagambie marked Australia Day 2026 in the way it does best — quietly, proudly and together — with a well-attended community breakfast held at the Nagambie Rowing Club, with the lake providing a beautiful backdrop.
With the lake calm behind them and the morning already warm, locals gathered early to share breakfast, conversation and a moment of reflection. The event, hosted on behalf of Go Nagambie, continues a tradition that has become a fixture on the town’s calendar.
an address that many in attendance described afterwards as both grounding and deeply heartfelt. Having arrived in Australia in 1983, Azem spoke openly about what the country has meant to him and why service to others has shaped so much of his life.
Proceedings began with Advance Australia Fair, led by Russell Turner, as those gathered stood as one. It was a simple and respectful start that set the tone for a morning focused less on ceremony and more on people.
“Australia accepted me and welcomed me — this is my home,” he said. He spoke about volunteering not as something done for recognition or reward, but as a quiet responsibility to others. “Don’t look over your shoulder to see who’s watching,” Azem said. “Just look after the person in front of you.”
Guest speaker Azem Elmaz OAM delivered
Drawing on his experiences supporting firefighters during recent bushfires, as well as years of work helping families, new arrivals and those doing it tough, Azem emphasised respect and kindness above all else. He reminded the crowd that most volunteers give their time simply because it needs doing. “The feeling you get from helping someone — that’s enough,” he said. Read more on page 3