Council cans cake and celebrations for city's 161st birthday

The event, usually held in Belmore Park on the nearest weekend, has been abandoned this year.

Mayor Peter Walker said the decision was not related to cost cutting or the council's bid for a 51.2 per cent rate rise.

"We (councillors) discussed it some time ago and considered whether it needed to be done every year," he said.

"Does it lose its importance if it's every year as opposed to genuine leaps of time?"

He referenced the large 150^th celebrations at Saint Saviour's Cathedral common in 2013, attended by then NSW Governor Marie Bashir and former state premier, Barry O'Farrell. In 2023, the city celebrated with the traditional cake cutting, speeches by MPs and secondary school students and distribution of the Goulburn Mulwaree awards to achieving citizens.

Goulburn was declared a city by Royal Letters Patent on March 14, 1863 by virtue of the Anglican Diocese's presence.

"And we do further... ordain that the said town of Goulburn shall be henceforth a city and be called the city of Goulburn and we thereby further ordain and declare that the church called St Saviour's on the said city of Goulburn shall henceforth be the Cathedral Church and See of the said Mesac Thomas, Bishop of Goulburn and his successors," the lengthy document stamped by Queen Victoria stated.

The city was the last declared so by Royal Letters Patent.

A council spokesperson said celebrations would be reserved for "significant milestones" in future, such as the 170^th birthday.

Cr Walker suggested that a major activity, such as Seniors Week, could coincide with the birthday to boost popularity and acceptance. Seniors Week is traditionally held in March but dates vary.

"There's no reason it couldn't be part of Seniors Week. It could be part of a discussion," Cr Walker said.

Similarly, he believed too many awards detracted from their significance. Local awards were also presented on Australia Day and during Seniors Week.

Former mayor Bob Kirk initiated the Goulburn Mulwaree Award to recognise "outstanding service or meritorious achievements." They were first distributed in 2022.

"We've pushed for the Goulburn Mulwaree mayoral awards to be given out in November to spread them throughout the year," Cr Walker said.

He also pointed to the amount of organisation involved in the day.

In 2020, Goulburn incorporated the birthday celebrations into a month-long Our Living History Festival.

If held in 2024, a new venue for the birthday bash would have been needed. The Belmore Park rotunda is undergoing extensive restoration.