Celebrations and breakfast run the morning in Berry

The local Rotary club 'Australia Day breakfast', saw a sizable turnout this morning.

Running from 8am through to 11am at the Berry Showground, the event saw locals come from around the Shoalhaven region to celebrate the public holiday together.

The breakfast which was organised by Berry's local rotary club provided attendees with complimentary egg and bacon rolls, sausage sandwiches as well as tea and coffee.

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Also on offer were a number of different activities for kids including a jumping castle as well as sack races, hula hoops and more.

The local Berry Silver Band provided a backdrop of great music to compliment the festivities, showcasing some of the talent the town has to offer.

There had been some worry over the turnout for the event due to COVID-19 and what Rotary member Grahame Sweeney described as "possible confusion" due to the cancellation of other events such as the 'Berry Show'.

Luckily they had nothing to worry about as there was great attendance for the day, paying off all the hard-work the Rotary members had put into the event.

"There was so much to do in the last couple of days," said Rotary member Peter Giza.

"We had to clean, mow and and sweep for hours to ensure that the grounds were in good order for the day."

The highlight of the morning for many was the Australia Day ceremony which saw the celebration of 13 Shoalhaven residents officially becoming Australian citizens.

Each individual was warmly received by the crowd with loud cheers and applause.

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley spoke at the ceremony, personally presenting each of the inductees with their certificates.

Saying to the group, "I know your journey because I've been on it. I was a migrant to Australia. The civil war I experienced in Ireland as a child meant I was always able to appreciate the safety Australia provides as a home."

Courtney Nash was one of the 13 local residents who officially became an Australian citizen.

"I'm beyond happy. It's been nine years since I moved from England so it's amazing to finally say I'm a citizen," she said.

The success of this event is what the community has come to expect from the Berry Rotary Club who's effort have been recognised for decades.

"We wish to thank you for continuing to put others above yourselves and all you do for the community," said Cr Findley speaking of the Rotary Club members.