Cr Dickerson said the morning's proceedings could not have run any smoother, with the free barbecue breakfast kicking off shortly after 7.30am.

"I'd like to think we had more than 500 people at the park," he said.

Cr Dickerson said if anything, the Australia Day festivities had reiterated his love and appreciation for the country.

"We really do live in a great nation," he said.

"We've acknowledged some unbelievable award winners and welcomed a great bunch of new citizens."

After the official address from Cr Dickerson, the crowd was treated to an insight into the 2015 Australia Day ambassador Janine Perrett's impressive career as a journalist.

Choosing Dubbo as the location of her official debut as an Australia Day ambassador, Janine said she was in love with the country "can-do" attitude.

"I wanted to have my first time as an ambassador in a regional town," Janine said.

She shared with the crowd her delight of how lucky Australia was to be a free nation which had open print press.

"After covering the revolution in Haiti, I have come to realise how people were willing to die for democracy," she said.

"It's incredible that people will do anything to get the right to vote."

Janine said the right to freedom and open print press was often taken for granted, making reference to Australian journalist Peter Greste who "was arrested for doing his job".

As anchor of The Perrett Report on Sky News Business and a regular panelist on Paul Murray Live, Janine said she had come to appreciate the free reign she was given in the Australian media.

"Although not everyone appreciates how we can take the mickey, I'm very proud of what I've done," she said.

Janine said she wanted residents to continue to keep in the know of business and politics.

"If anything, I want to encourage people to exercise both their minds and their bodies," she said.

"People should keep up-to-date with current affairs, it not only keeps me in a job, but it keeps Australia how we want it to be."

After the formalities, Janine said she was very humbled to have been involved in the Dubbo Australia Day celebrations.

"It's certainly lived up to my expectations," she said.

Not wasting a moment in the city, Janine said she would be visiting the Village Hot Bakery to sample an award-winning pie, as well as a trip to Taronga Western Plains Zoo.