Thirty-nine Corangamite Shire residents and groups have been nominated for Australia Day Awards in appreciation of their contributions to the community.
The Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Event of the Year will be named at the official council Australia Day festivities in Cobden on Wednesday 26 January.
Mayor Ruth Gstrein said the nominees all deserved recognition for their community spirit and for supporting their fellow Shire residents.
“We’re incredibly lucky in Corangamite to have a great number of volunteers who put in so much work to keep our clubs, community groups and events running.
“These awards are a fantastic way to say, ‘Well done, and ‘Thanks for your terrific work’.
“I’m sure many of them are happy to stay out of the limelight but for this one day of the year we can hold them up as an example so they might inspire more people to get involved in our community.”
“Australia Day is a great opportunity to recognise that wherever we’re from—Indigenous Australians, descendants of early European settlers, and newer Australians—we are all part of the same nation and share common values.”
Starting at 10 am, the day will include a presentation by tourism expert, charity administrator and author Sue Calwell.
For almost 20 years, Sue ran the Melbourne Tourism Authority. She is frequently consulted on proposed tourism infrastructure development and resources.
She has dedicated herself to many tourism-related organisations and charities, including as chairman of the Baker Medical Research Institute Special Events Committee, board member at MECWA Community Care, and appeal chairman for the Noel Miller Centre Appeal. She was the inaugural chairman of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, a hallmark event which attracts over 120,000 visitors annually.
Susan has been an active part of Victoria’s writing community. She has authored two best-selling books: ‘There’s More to Life Than Sex and Money’ and ‘There’s More to Life: The Little Book of Inspiration’. She also edited ‘Turning Points’, a collection of inspiring personal stories from prominent Australians including Julie Anthony, Eddie McGuire, Gai Waterhouse and Ron Clarke.
Sue said she had had the great pleasure over the past several years to share Australia Day with communities around the state.
“The joy for me also has been to travel throughout Victoria and see the range and diversity of the State. Although I was in tourism for 20 years, to see it at a different level and to learn and meet the local community has been special for me.
“Because of my various roles – from being a founder of the tourism body when inbound tourism was unheard of in the 1970s, right through to what the tourism industry represents to communities large and small across Australia.”
“Since we’ve had no tourism in the last couple of years, it’s shown how important the economic value is to both small and large communities.
“During COVID, like so many Melburnians I’ve moved to a small community, being Anglesea. It has been pure joy for me to immerse myself in this small community, from my 7:30 am swim every morning with The Mermaids to being involved in community activities.
“I’ve seen how the business and local community have been affected by not having visitors, and how everybody pulled together. That’s been the most rewarding thing for me during COVID – to be part of that. I’ve been overwhelmed with recognising what small communities can do to support each other. There have been so many positives which I’ve seen and embraced.”
Corangamite Shire’s COVID Safe event is expected to be open to the public at the Civic Hall but may move to the Cobden Recreation Reserve, subject to COVIDSafe advice on the day. Over 18s will need to check-in via the Service Victoria App and show evidence of their vaccination status or a valid medical exemption. The event will also be livestreamed on .
Corangamite Shire 2022 Australia Day Nominees
Citizen of the Year
- Helen Arundell – Port Campbell
- Lesley Barnewall – Port Campbell
- Julie Brazier – Port Campbell
- Thomas Brett – Lismore
- Avon Buchholz – Lismore
- John Cheslett – Camperdown
- David Clark – Scotts Creek
- Sharon Cotton – Port Campbell
- Lee Edge – Timboon
- Fiona Hawkes – Simpson
- Nigel Hooker – Lismore
- Gary Kimber – Cobden
- Jo Leatham – Port Campbell
- Amanda Nash – Port Campbell
- Betty O’Brien – Port Campbell
- Jenny O’Keefe – Terang
- James O’Shea – Camperdown
- Barbara Pett – Skipton
- James Rylance – Timboon
- Ivan Sanders – Skipton
- Annie Schofield – Port Campbell
- Loris Shannon – Lismore
- Anne Smith – Camperdown
- Doug Smith – Skipton
- Kathy Sproules – Skipton
- Natasha Swayn – Camperdown
- Kelvin White – Cobden
- David Newman Day Staff – Maureen Crameri, Angela Kemp, Cathy Frusher & Maureen Bond – Camperdown
- Lions Club Of Lismore & District – Lismore
- WDEA Works Clean Cut – Terang
Young Citizen Of The Year
- Darcy Tribe – Port Campbell
- Lara Falk – Cooriemungle
- Jordyn Hickey – Camperdown
- Tess Lourey – Terang
Community Event of the Year
- Anzac Commemoration Service 2021 – Cobden Technical School & Cobden Cemetery Trust
- Heytesbury Horse Trials – Heytesbury Pony Club
- Throwing A Lifeline During
COVID-19 – David Newman Adult Day Centre
- Noorat Terang Fun Run & Walk – Terang & District Lions Club
- Vintage Fashion Parade – Garden Club Progress
