Wodonga's official Australia Day event will no longer be held outdoors.
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The council this year, due to rain concerns, made a decision two days before the holiday to switch its awards and citizenship ceremony to The Cube theatre after they were originally to be held in Junction Square.
Mayor Ron Mildren said it had been decided to continue Australia Day formalities indoors after this year's occasion was well received.
"It was such a success where it was this year, I mean the full auditorium was pretty impressive and made a good event of it," Cr Mildren said.
Former mayor and chair of council's Australia Day committee Kev Poulton had spruiked the move to Junction Square as a chance to enliven the CBD after the city previously traditionally held January 26 activities in Willow Park and Les Stone Park.
At Monday night's council meeting he linked the demise of outdoor Australia Day formalities to Wodonga city budget changes.
"Things will change a little bit in this budget cycle," Cr Poulton said.
"We will probably see an event similar to the one held this year, we won't be returning to the barbecue in one of Wodonga's parks like we have over many decades.
"Due to budgetary constraints we will be slightly different moving forward."
The draft 2024-25 Wodonga Council budget estimates there will be a 15 per cent reduction in spending on events, marketing, advertising, food and drink in 2024-25 with it falling from $1.28 million to $1.084 million.
In agreeing to Australia Day awards guidelines being changed, councillor Danny Chamberlain emphasised his support for events on January 26 despite Albury Council making changes in light of hurt being expressed by Indigenous residents.
"I'm pleased, at this stage this may be something for a future government, future council, future bits and pieces, but I'm pleased to say it's on Australia Day and I'm happy to see that it's going to stay there, at least during my term," Cr Chamberlain said.
Meanwhile, the council has dumped its long-standing place names advisory committee after a lack of interest from citizens willing to serve on it.
The group was restructured in 2021 with eight members of the public, including a Wodonga Historical Society representative, three non-voting council staff and councillor Libby Hall as chair.
However, last November following the expiration of terms for some members, a quorum was not possible and a meeting was cancelled.
Subsequent recruitment campaigns largely failed with only two applications received, meaning the minimum number of independent members, three, was not being met as required under a charter.
As a result, the council decided on Monday to disband the committee and place naming now be considered by an officer and come before council meeting for a final decision.
Cr Hall said the move was a "shame" and she cited the need for meetings during daytime hours being a factor in the committee's demise.
Decisions made by the group needed to be ratified by state body Geographic Names Victoria, a situation which saw a street name for Baranduda Fields rejected.
