THE COVID-19 pandemic has struck again with the cancellation of a number of Australia Day events in Greater Bendigo.
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Community group-run events in Maiden Gully, Golden Square, Strathfieldsaye and Junortoun have all been called off this year.
Lions of Maiden Gully-Marong president Wayne Drummond said the decision to pull the pin on the Maiden Gully event was due to the rising number of Omicron COVID-19 cases.
"It's a kid and family affair and we cancelled because of the rising Omicron cases in Bendigo," he said.
"In the next couple of weeks they are tipping there to be a high level of infections, so we are being a bit proactive and decided to cancel rather than create a problem in the nucleus of Maiden Gully."
Mr Drummond said the open, outdoors event made it hard to track people coming and going.
"It's an open venue where people can walk in off the street," he said. "We have no control over people. We are here to help the public and are thinking more of public safety than anything else.
"That is the climate we are in at the moment. We haven't run (an Australia Day event) for three years. It's hard enough in a service club to keep the profile going, but we're not there to destroy it.
"It is all about safeguarding the public (so) with regret we carry plans across to next year."
On Facebook, the Junortoun Community Action Group announced it and event co-host Junortoun Fire Brigade had jointly decided to cancel Australia Day plans for a flag-raising and breakfast.
"With the uncertainty and fast spreading of the latest COVID variant, coupled with the possible exposure to Junortoun CFA members (an essential service here in Junortoun), we believe it to be the right decision to make," the Facebook post read.
Golden Square Pool committee president Sam Kane said they had cancelled their planned Australia Day activities but the pool would operate its normal trading hours.
"We decided not to run additional activities just so we can work to be as COVID-safe as possible in line with the current climate,' he said. "Last year we made a similar decision because of the additional requirements on events. While that isn't in place currently, this year is more about protecting our team and the community."
Of the Australia Day events listed on the City of Greater Bendigo's Summer in the Parks website, Golden Square Pool and Strathfieldsaye 1st Scout Group have also cancelled their plans for January 26.
Strathfieldsaye 1st Scout Group committee president Garth Keech said their event, which was in conjunction with The Lions Club of Strathfieldsaye and Strathfieldsaye District Enterprise, was cancelled because they wouldn't be able to control crowd numbers.
"Everybody is starting to pull the pin now just with the rising cases," he said. "The risk in having people queued up and waiting for food - as much as it is outside, it is still a smallish space for a large number of people.
"We have no idea how many might turn up but normally we have 500 or 600 people, which makes it very crowded and hard to maintain."
As of Wednesday morning, events at Bendigo Racecourse, Axedale, Eaglehawk, Elmore, Huntlly-Epsom and Mia Mia are still going ahead.
Visit www.bendigosummerintheparks.com/find-an-event for more details.
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