Maryborough resident Martin Reynolds spent the afternoon on the Wimmera river with his wife and two other couples. He said he was glad he had finally stopped in Horsham after passing through several times.

“It’s my first visit here, but it won’t be my last,” he said.

Further along the river, there was champagne, nibbles and live music, but the occasion wasn’t Australia Day: Horsham woman Morgan Cross was celebrating her birthday with her friends, after turning 30 yesterday.

She said it was a surprise organised by her husband and best friend. “My husband just told me to come down to the river!”

Mt. Arapiles’ Melville Cave proved a popular spot for Melbourne residents, among them Qiqi Chen, who said Australia Day to her meant spending time with friends and enjoying the weather.

“(This is) not the usual way I’d spend the day, but I wouldn’t mind it being more regular,” she said.

While Natimuk’s David Sudholz said the reality for our farming community is that today is like any other day.

“Being a farmer, the rest of my Australia Day will be spent looking after the animals,” he said.

“We just had some hot weather, so I’ll go around to the sheep and just make sure they’ve got plenty of food and water to get them through the rest of the dry spell.”