The Holbrook Rotary Club provided a free breakfast from 8am, with the master of ceremonies and Albury Council deputy mayor Steve Bowen kicking off the official ceremony at 9am.

In his first major public appearance as Greater Hume mayor, Cr Tony Quinn encouraged residents to notice the "great nation we live in".

"Take a little time out today to reflect," he said.

"There are a great multitude of people throughout the world who don't share our luck.

"We should also reflect a little bit and sympathise with them, because they have a great battle."

Similarly, in his Australia Day ambassador's address, Mulwala's clay target shooting Olympian James Willett recognised the privileges of being Australian.

"I've been very fortunate to experience what a lot of the world has to offer and see how everyone else lives around the world and I can say we do live in a very good place and the lucky country," he said.

"I've seen many people living really tough and on the streets and when you get away from the touristy areas where we travel to for our sport in shooting, we're often away from the main areas ... and see where some of the people live and how they live.

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"We are really lucky and it gives me pride to be able to represent Australia and be able to come from the country that we do and the area that I do."

Mr Willett has competed in the Rio and Tokyo Olympics and has his sights set on Paris 2024.

Cr Quinn also took the opportunity to thank the council's many volunteers.

"Without you society would not function in Australia the way it does," he said.

"You do great work as volunteers, but I'm asking you in 2022 to lift your game a fraction, because there are a lot of people in need and I think this is going to be a tough year.

"As we all walk through this year of 2022 I ask you to occasionally look over your shoulder and see and notice somebody who's not going so well and give them a helping hand up, it will help you feel better yourself too."

For outgoing Greater Hume general manager Steven Pinnuck, it was his last time at an Australia Day ceremony in an official capacity.

Mr Pinnuck said he had been to almost all council events over the last 25 years.

"As we're getting into the last few months of my term as general manager, there'll be a few of these activities that'll be the final one," he said.

"Next year will feel a bit different when I'm just a member of the crowd, and not part of the organising group, but I'm sure that times move on and it'll continue to be a great event as it's been over the last 15 years or 16 years since we've been amalgamated."

Community Event of the Year

Winner: Book Launch of "Henty's Heroes: Short Stories of Henty's Enlistments of World War 1"

Sports Person/Team of the Year

Winner: Ben Parker and the Fours Team Holbrook RS Women's Bowling Club

Nominees: Jim Grills and the Albury Holbrook Polocrosse Club

Young Citizen of the Year

Winner: Jole Hoffman and Jessica Toogood

Citizen of the Year

Winner: Helen and Ross Krause

Nominees: Russell Davies, Shair Feuerherdt, Francis Fifield and Patrick Hayes

School Citizenship:

St Paul's Lutheran College - Tilly Phegan

Brocklesby Public - Leah Perry

Burrumbuttock Public - Ella Hawkins

Culcairn Public - Scarlett Hocking

Gerogery Public - Zara Byrne

Henty Public - Macey Bullock

Holbrook Public - Issac Bennetts

Jindera Public - Charlotte Wright

St John's Lutheran - Sam Holland

St Mary MacKillop College - Angelica Murphy

St Joseph's Primary - Kaycee Thomas

St Paul's Lutheran Primary - Milly Forrest

Walbundrie Public - Jai Lieschke

Walla Walla Public - Olivia Odewhan

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