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SURROUNDING regions celebrated their Aussie pride on Sunday.
At Axedale about 200 people turned up for a barbecue breakfast.
President of the Axedale: Our Town, Our Future committee Yvonne Wrigglesworth said the crowd was sure to grow throughout the morning.
"We had a couple of hundred come last year," she said.
"We like to bring all groups together to organise this event."
At Castlemaine celebration got under way from 10am with the Castlemaine Highland Pipe Band entertaining the growing crowd at Victory Park.
Mount Alexander Shire mayor Michael Redden and Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards welcomed six new Australian citizens.
Ms Edwards also pointed out the region's "proud and exciting past as well as being ready for the proud and exciting future."
You have done what the founding fathers did when they formed the Commonwealth and you should rejoice in it
- Father Bob Maguire
A crowd of more than 600 people filled the park to hear Australia Day ambassador Father Bob Maguire speak about the day.
He said it was a bitter-sweet day where respect needed to be paid to the indigenous people and congratulated indigenous footballer Adam Goodes on his Australian of the Year award.
Father Maguire said he was humbled to be invited to the Mount Alexander Shire celebrations and that the shire was a positive, warm, genuine and supportive place.
"You have done what the founding fathers did when they formed the Commonwealth and you should rejoice in it," he said.
He also paid tribute to Australians ingenuity, listing inventions that help us celebrate Australia Day including the Esky, Aeroguard, wine casks, the ute and beach houses.