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ALL THE PICTURES: Australia Day 2015 celebrations across central Victoria
HOTTEST 100: Chet Faker takes out the top spot
PHOTOS: Australia Day Hanging Rock races
COMPETITION: Pictures show pride in our nation
UPDATE 8.30pm: And it's official, Chet Faker's Talk Is Cheap is the hottest song in Australia! Did you listen to the Triple J Hottest 100 countdown? What did you think of the results? Read more here.
UPDATE 6.43pm: Say hello to Chayse Robert James Hayes, born today in Bendigo. Meet him here.
UPDATE 5.57pm: See all the pics from the Australia Day races at Hanging Rock here.
UPDATE 4.44pm: We've just announced the major winner in our My Australia picture competition - check out who the proud new owner of a barbie is here.
UPDATE 3.56pm: And here's a great video from the Lake Weeroona celebrations...
UPDATE 3.53pm: Check out all the pics that our photographers have taken so far here. Just a warning, there are more than 100!
UPDATE 2.52pm: Ken Devereaux has been awarded the Lions Club of Kangaroo Flat Citizen Award.
The award was presented at today's Australia Day celebrations in Kangaroo Flat by Cr Barry Lyons.
Mr Devereaux was awarded for his 40 plus years of service to the CFA and Kangaroo Flat Fire Brigade, over the years holding numerous positions within the brigade.
He was awarded the National Medal in 1983, Australian Fire Service Medal in 2006 and the National Emergency Services Medal for the support role of his brigade with the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.
He was also awarded life membership of the CFA in 2001 and the Kangaroo Flat Brigade in 2002.
Outside of the CFA he is also a volunteer worker at St John of God Hospital and has been a long-serving member of the Bendigo Easter Fair Committee, recently taking on the role of president.
UPDATE 11.35PM: We're getting very close to announcing some winners in our My Australia picture competition. Some great entries still coming in which we will have up soon. Stay tuned. Who will win the brand spanking new BBQ! Meat packs. Chicken packs. And BBQ cleaning products!
UPDATE 11.30PM: Happy Australia Day all the way from Cleveland in the US!
Maryborough's NBA basketball star Matthew Dellavedova might be in Cleveland in the United States but Australia Day is very much on his mind.
And in his tummy too judging by his Tweet - nothing like a Tim Tam to celebrate Australia Day!
Are you an expat celebrating Australia Day somewhere else in the world?
Send us a pic of your celebrations to kieran.iles@fairfaxmedia.com.au or ashley.fritsch@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
Have a great day!
UPDATED 11.10am: From sports to the arts to medicine and the media, you are bound to recognise a few faces in the Australia Day honours list.
Here's 10 of those familiar faces honoured on January 26, 2015.
To read click here
UPDATED 10.55am: Chief executive officer of Keech Industries Garth Keech is the Australia Day Ambassador for Greater Bendigo.
He told the crowd, "I might not be the local yet, but I enjoy being a part of this community".
UPDATED 10.35am: The official proceedings are underway at Lake Weeroona.
The flag is being raised by mayor Peter Cox and the citizen of the year Penelope Davies and young citizen of the year Danielle Snowdon.
UPDATED 10.16am: Castlemaine is getting ready to celebrate Australia Day, reports Maddie Wines.
The stage is set and crowds are slowly starting to build.
Doreen Phillips has been attending the ceremony in Castlemaine for many years.
The 79-year-old said she loves the atmosphere.
"My daughter picks me up every year," she said.
"It's a great day out."
Ms Phillips said there is no other place she'd rather live than in Australia.
"It's the best country in the world," she said.
"It's a calming sort of place. We have a lot of freedom."
UPDATED 10.10am: Rockin' 50s rock and roll club has begun its rendition of Sherry by the Four Seasons at Lake Weeroona.
UPDATED 10.07am: Lake Weeroona is a hive of activity as Australia Day festivities warm up, reports Grace Millar.
Stalls from community groups and local stores are set up around the lake.
The Bendigo Woodturners group are displaying their handmade wares and demonstrating wood turning and other crafts.
Group president John Phillips said the Australia Day event was an opportunity to show what they do.
"We have been here as long as it has been here," he said.
UPDATED 9.53am: Prime Minister Tony Abbott has made retired Australian Defence Force chief Angus Houston a knight of the Order of Australia. To read more click here.
UPDATED 9.37am: Strathfieldsaye resident Trevor Jackson said one of his favourite things about living Australia was the sense of freedom he felt.
"You only have to look at what's happening around the world and here in Australia you can say what you want, you can do what you want, you can jump on a plane and go anywhere, we are controlled (like other country," he said.
UPDATED 9.30am: Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan thanked the community of Sthrathfieldsaye for turning out to this morning's Australia Day ceremony.
Ms Allan said January 26 was a chance to reflect.
"It's a time to reflect on just how fortunate we are to live in such a wonderful community, a wonderful country that offers so many opportunities, particularly to our young children and young people," she said.
UPDATED 9.15am: Rotary Club of Eaglehawk Australia Day Committee chairman Colin Anderson said the morning had been a success so far.
"The day is about getting together to have a good time anywhere you want to in Australia," he said.
"It's also an opportunity to acknowledge local heroes from the area.
"Through the ambassador program we will have speakers form the community present during the day."
UPDATED 8.52am: Student of the year from Marong Primary School Bridget Hayes said she was very surprised to win her award, reports Grace Millar.
Cooper Filbey said the best thing about Australia was all the sport he could watch.
"I like basketball and watching cricket, but not so much playing it," Cooper said.
"I like V8 Supercars too."
Steve Filbey said he planned to go fishing later today with his family at Cairn Curran.
"We love the river," he said.
UPDATED 8.35am: Strathfieldsaye Scout Nic McLean said Australia Day was about getting together with family and friends to celebrate all things Australia.
He said one of his favourite things about Australia was the people.
"It's very multicultural, everyone is different," he said.
UPDATED 8.30am: Fourteen year-old Phoebe said January 26 was a time to celebrate Australia.
" I'm proud to be Australia and I want to celebrate that," she said at the Australia Day breakfast at Strathfieldsaye.
Here is a photo of Phoebe, with Meg, 12, Georgie, 8, and Billie, 2.
UPDATED 8.25am: Congratulations to family violence campaigner Rose Batty, named Australian of the Year.
Ms Batty dedicated her award to her "beautiful" 11-year-old son Luke, who was murdered in February by his father. "To my Luke, you did not die in vain and will not be forgotten," she said.
To read more click here
For a wonderful feature by the Advertiser's Nicole Ferrie click here.
UPDATED 8.04am: The Maiden Gully Marong Lions Club provided the free breakfast for residents of the area.
Pancakes, bacon, eggs, orange juice and coffee were on offer.
Maiden Gully Progress Association president Stuart Mckenzie attended the event to promote the quality of living in the area.
UPDATE 7.45am: The smell of bacon and eggs is thick at the Maiden Gully Australia Day barbecue. The line for the free breakfast reaches to the park entrance. More than 80 people have gathered to celebrate what it means to be Australian.
HAPPY Australia Day central Victoria.
Today conditions across the region are looking sunny - which is perfect weather to get out and about.
If you still haven't decided how to spend your day, check out out Australia Day Guide HERE.
This blog is your one-stop shop for everything Australia Day. It will be regularly updating it with photos, video and stories of celebrations across the region.
While we would love to make it to every celebration, it's just not possible THEREFORE we need your help in sending us photos of you, your family and friends enjoying the day.
You can tweet them to, @bgoaddy, email them to kieran.iles@fairfaxmedia.com.au, send them via the Bendigo Advertiser Facebook page or tag us in them on Instagram, @bendigoadvertiser
For a bit of morning reading, learn about the central Victorians who received an Order of Australia Medal:
Journalist ANDI YU wrote about Australia Day in today's Bendigo Advertiser. Read is HERE.
Check out our MY AUSTRALIA photo competition HERE.
