THE community’s hardest workers will be honoured at Australia Day celebrations around Cardinia Shire.
Residents will gather at events in several towns on Thursday 26 January culminating with the centrepiece of the local celebrations to be held at the Cardinia Cultural Centre, Pakenham.
A host of nominees has been put forward for major awards including Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Event of the Year.
In October each year Cardinia Shire’s Australia Day committee calls on residents to nominate the citizens and events they feel have made outstanding contributions to enriching community life in the Cardinia Shire.
These nominees are then considered by an independent volunteer selection panel.
Committee chairperson Cr Kate Lempriere said this year’s nominees again represented an excellent crosssection of ages, backgrounds and regions of the shire.
“We each assess the nominees on a broad range of criteria, including consistency and length of service, community caring, and most importantly the concept of ‘service above self’,” she said.
“It was again a difficult task to single out our winners.
The Pakenham event will include the Cardiniawide Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year, Junior Citizen of the Year, Community Event Of The Year and Community Achievement Awards, as well as a citizenship ceremony welcoming new Australian citizens from around the world.
Pakenham Cardinia Cultural Centre. 11:30am Australia Day ceremony and awards. 12:30pm Citizenship ceremony. 12pm Free barbecue, Australiana movies and outdoor family activities. Guest Speaker is Sally Browne, fashion designer, philanthropist and adventurer.
Lang Lang Lang Lang Hall. 7:45 am Australia Day breakfast. 8:30 am Australia Day ceremony. Guest speaker is Tony Charlton, AM, former radio and television announcer.
Cockatoo Old Fire Refuge Building, Alma Treloar Reserve. 8:30am: Free Breakfast. 9:30am: Presentation to Cockatoo Citizen of the Year. Guest speaker is Cockatoo Citizen of the Year
Kooweerup Kooweerup Community Centre. 8.30am: Free egg and bacon breakfast followed by local Australia Day Awards and a performance by the Secondary College Band. Guest speaker is Michael Schildberger, journalist and broadcaster.
Australia Day award nominees
Citizen of the Year:Ian Baker Yannathan, Yvonne Bennett Gembrook, Cherylle Hampton Upper Beaconsfield, Lisa Heatley Bunyip, Des Heatley Bunyip, Lisa Loulier Beaconsfield, Gloria O’Connor Pakenham Upper, Patsy Parnall Cockatoo, Dr Orrock (Orrie) Stewart Lang Lang, Inez Stewart Lang Lang, Alison Ryan Upper Beaconsfield, Phil Scott Upper Beaconsfield, Ian Sterk Officer.
Senior Citizen of the Year:Ray Adams Emerald, Ron Dyker Pakenham, Russell Gardiner Emerald, Elva Hamill Tynong, Ronald Pankhurst Lang Lang, Doris Williams Kooweerup.
Young Citizen of the Year:Kelly Hicks Pakenham Upper, Melanie Van Diemen Nar Nar Goon.
Community Event of the Year:Yakkerboo Festival Pakenham, Saint Sophia Festival Kooweerup, Gembrook Sustainability Market.
Hard work set to be recognised
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