A FORMER cricketer of the year,

Canberra-born Michael Bevan,

was the star attraction yesterday

at the launch of National Families

Week on the shores of Lake

Tuggeranong.

Busily dishing out signatures

for fans, Bevan said he understood

the importance of family

after spending so much time

away from his own.

He said he felt strongly about

being an ambassador for the

week and had not hesitated to

take the opportunity once his

cricket commitments had been

scaled back.

''It's about creating awareness

of the importance of a good strong

family,'' Bevan said.

''During my career, I spent a lot

of my time away and it made

it more important to spend quality

time at home when I was

there.

''The last five to 10 years, I've

really come to understand how

important family is.''

Mr Bevan said his two

daughters, Olivia, 10 and Amelia,

7, and his wife, Tracy, were

central to his life.

The chief executive of Families

Australia, Brian Babington, said

the special theme of work-life

balance had been chosen because

so many families struggled to find

a balance. ''We have a number of

suggestions for people, [but]

essentially it is a reflective process

so that people can make a

number of adjustments to their

lives,'' he said.

Mr Babington said the event on

Lake Tuggeranong was the

largest in the country to mark the

week. There would be more

events this week in Canberra.

This year's National Families

Week is timed to tie in with the

International Day of the Family

on Thursday.