MAITLAND was abuzz with activity with the city celebrating all things true blue during it's Australia Day festivities over the weekend.
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From the official Australia Day ceremony to frolicking in Maitland Park, the city recognised January 26 in true Aussie style.
It started in the morning with the city's Australia Day ceremony including our ambassador's speech, presentation of citizen of the year and young citizen of the year awards and citizenship ceremony started at 10am.
This year's keynote speaker was criminal lawyer, refugee and public figure Deng Adut.
In news today: Meet our Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year
The 2017 NSW Australia of the Year spoke at the first indoor Australia Day Ceremony at Maitland Town Hall.
Mr Abut used his address to tackle the bush fires, the importance of taking individual responsibility and cultural diversity.
"Why do we neglect ourselves? We are quite advanced and no more fires should happen. It is all of us who have to do something," he said.
"We are not a young nation ... It's our duty to make sure another fire never happens again."
Also during the official ceremony, Maitland also welcomed 72 new citizens from more than 20 countries across the globe.
Federal MP for Paterson Meryl Swanson congratulated the new citizens on finding a home in the Maitland region.
She said Maitland was an example of the importance of continuing to grow regional Australia "sustainably and responsibly".
"Maitland is such a brilliant place," she said.
The city named Wilma Lilley as our Citizen of the Year while Hayley Johns took home the Young Citizen of the Year award.
With the formalities done and dusted, residents flocked to Maitland Park for a range of Aussie festivities.
Crowds gathered to enjoy the annual festivities which included a free sausage sizzle, games, stalls and the annual (and popular) thong toss competition.
The festivities, hosted by The Mutual Bank, ran from midday until 5pm with revelers also enjoying free entry to Maitland Aquatic Centre to cool off from the 30 degree plus day.