Get the appA 5.25-metre fibreglass sultana sculpture has been unveiled on Mildura's riverfront in Victoria's north-west. The Big Sultana was built over 13 weeks to mark 100 years of dried fruit production in the Sunraysia region. It sits opposite Ornamental Lakes Park and features a beaming smile, which Sunbeam says is meant to bring a bit of fun. Local leaders say it will appeal to families and tell the story of the region's agricultural history.
Mildura has unveiled a 5.25-metre sculpture of a sultana to celebrate more than a century of sultana production in the Victorian town. Sunbeam commissioned the Big Sultana, which is roughly 525 times the size of an average sultana. Mildura Rural City Council mayor Ali Cupper said it honours the growers, workers and families who helped shape the region. The sculpture will undergo a year-long exhibition before its continued presence in Mildura is reviewed. Sunbeam general manager Elizabeth Miller said it marks 100 years of the company. The Big Sultana is at Ornamental Lakes Park, just off Hugh King Drive.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has paid tribute to Greek Australians, saying Australia would be unimaginable without them. Speaking at the Hellenic Club's centenary gala ball in Sydney, he reflected on the club's founding in 1926 by Greek shopkeepers. Albanese said the club helped new Greek migrants settle and become part of the wider community. He also recalled Greece's refusal of an ultimatum in 1940, marked each year as Oxi Day, and the joint fight of Australians and Allied forces alongside Greece in World War II.
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Get the appFraser Coast Regional Council will plant a New Zealand native totara tree in Queens Park, Maryborough, on Friday 13 November at 10am to mark 100 years since Mary Poppins first appeared in print. The story, written by Maryborough-born author P.L. Travers, was first published in The Sun in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1926. A morning tea garden party and anniversary cake will follow at Story Bank from 10:45am. Visitors are invited to dress as their favourite Mary Poppins character, with free entry throughout the day and a new exhibition, Mary Poppins the Winds of Change, on display.
Albion Primary School marked 100 years since it first opened in 1926 with a celebration on 17 October. Past students, former staff, families and community members attended to reflect on the school's history. Historical photographs were displayed, and the Norwood Street Band, Sunshine College Band and Victoria University Secondary College Band performed. The day included the opening of a time capsule from the school's 50th celebrations, and a new capsule was buried to be opened in 2076. Principal Adrienne Williamson said a school is defined by its people, stories and memories.
New South Wales Governor Margaret Beazley attended an afternoon tea hosted by the Molong Country Women's Association. She visited members on Sunday 18 October, before the branch's official 100th birthday event in November. Branch president Helen Williams said members were thrilled and very surprised by the visit. The Governor was invited both in her role as state governor and as CWA patron. The afternoon featured scones with jam, slices, sandwiches, tea and coffee, giving members an informal chance to speak with her.
The Cenotaph in St Leonards Park, North Sydney's main war memorial, turns 100 this year. Frank Thorp, a young student architect, won the design competition, with a design inspired by Edwin Lutyens' Whitehall memorial in London. The memorial was dedicated in 1926 and bears 568 names, about 14 per cent of the estimated 4,000 local men who served. Recent research has identified another 196 men with strong local links who died in the war. A Commonwealth Saluting Their Service grant will allow those names to be added during the centenary year.
The Federal Parliament will sit for one day at Old Parliament House in April next year. The sitting marks 100 years since the national parliament first met in Canberra. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Question Time and legislation will return to the chambers for the first time in decades. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the day would be cramped but a special occasion for MPs. The centenary celebrations will cost taxpayers $3 million.
Canberra Bowling Club in Forrest is marking 100 years. Its first game was played on Christmas Eve 1925 beside Hotel Canberra, and the club was formally established in 1926. Members say its independence and social role have kept it going. Former president Dave Kimber says replacing grass greens with synthetic surfaces in 2015–16 helped secure its finances. In 2025 the club gave up its poker machine licences. To celebrate, it will hold an open day on Saturday 31 October.
The North Sydney community has marked 100 years since the Cenotaph was dedicated on 10 October 1926 to local residents who died in the First World War. The memorial stands about 13.5 metres high and is the largest of its kind in New South Wales. Further research identified 195 more local men, bringing the total recognised to 763. New bronze plates, funded with help from a Commonwealth grant, were dedicated at the centenary ceremony.
The Bulli Hospital Auxiliary marked its centenary with a high tea on 8 September. Guests included the Minister for Health, Ryan Park, and Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown. The group, a branch of the United Hospital Auxiliaries of NSW, raises funds for patients and hospital services through donations, market stalls and raffles. Thirty-seven members and guests gathered at Corrimal RSL. Janice Puddle, the longest-serving member, remains vice-president alongside her granddaughter, Rosalie Lakalaka.
Residents of Reid, in Canberra, will hold a free centenary celebration on Sunday to mark 100 years since the suburb's first cottages were built. The event runs from 2.30 pm to 4 pm at Dirrawan Gardens, with draught horses, a sausage sizzle, games and a talk by local historian Tony Maple. Built from 1927 as public servants moved from Melbourne, Reid followed a garden-city design, and 99 original homes remain largely standing. Residents say strict planning rules protect the suburb's character, though they are petitioning against speeding and rat-running on its streets.
North Sydney Council will mark 100 years since Balls Head and Berry Island were reserved for public recreation with a free community day on Saturday 24 October 2026. The event at Balls Head Reserve and The Coal Loader in Waverton includes picnics, bush walks, live music, storytelling and family activities, with the main program running from 11am to 4pm. An Engineering Heritage Marker recognising the Coal Loader's national engineering significance will be unveiled. A free shuttle bus will run from Waverton, as parking in the area is limited. Some activities require bookings, and places are limited.
North Sydney Council will mark 100 years since Balls Head and Berry Island were reserved for public recreation with a free community day on Saturday 24 October 2026. The event at Balls Head Reserve and The Coal Loader in Waverton includes picnics, bush walks, live music, storytelling and family activities, with the main program running from 11am to 4pm. An Engineering Heritage Marker recognising the Coal Loader's national engineering significance will be unveiled. A free shuttle bus will run from Waverton, as parking in the area is limited. Some activities require bookings, and places are limited.
Balls Head Reserve and The Coal Loader will celebrate 100 years as public spaces with a free event on 24 October. The festivities include history walks, live music, cultural activities, and family entertainment. The event marks a century since the areas were opened for public recreation in 1926. Activities range from bird surveys and heritage tours to Indigenous cultural experiences and kayak netball.