THE spirit of Australia Day will be felt across Hepburn Shire tomorrow when residents come together and celebrate the country's national day.

A host of events have been organised including an Australia Day eve civic reception, flag-raising ceremonies at Mt Beckworth, Creswick and Trentham and flag lowering ceremonies at Clunes and Glenlyon.

Cricket Willow in Shepherd's Flat will celebrate with cricket matches.

The day will begin with a family super 6s cricket competition at 11am with finals at 1pm.

Then two top teams, Mt Clear and North Castlemaine, will slog it out in the inaugural Cricket Willow Twenty20 grand final at 2pm.

There will also be "bud to bat" tours of the cricket gallery throughout the day.

Cricket Willow's Trish Tinetti said it would be a great family day out.

"We chose to have the cricket games on a public holiday because we love having families at Cricket Willow," she said.

Former Australian test cricketer Tim Zoehrer said Australia Day was a chance to celebrate the nation and there was no better way to do it than have a game of cricket.

"Cricket has always been part of Australian lifestyle," he said.

Hepburn Shire Mayor Heather Mutimer said Australia Day would reflect the community's diversity.

"I see it as a day of both celebration and reflection," she said.

"It is an opportunity to consider how we can make life better for others in times of a growing divide between the rich and poor."

Cr Mutimer said Hepburn Shire was a microcosm of Australia today.

Australia Day Activities across Hepburn Shire:

* A civic reception at the Daylesford Town Hall on Australia Day Eve at 7pm. The program will include the citizenship ceremony, Hepburn Shire Council Australia Day award presentations and Rotary award presentations. All

members of the community welcome.

* A unique flag-raising ceremony at Mt Beckworth at 5.30am on Australia Day, complemented with a free pancake breakfast. (In the event of a total fire ban the event will be held in Collins Place, Clunes).