Australia Day Award Recipients Honoured In Murrumbidgee

Community spirit was as strong as ever with large crowds turning out to celebrate the day and the achievements of the Australia Day Award recipients.

Murrumbidgee Council Mayor, Ruth McRae said she had great pleasure in attending each ceremony in Coleambally, Darlington Point and Jerilderie and joining the community to honour those that had been recognised for going that extra mile.

Mayor McRae congratulated each Australia Day Award recipient, as well as the nominees.

“Their achievements and contributions are inspiring and genuinely make our community a better place,” Ms McRae said.

“This year we were fortunate to have Australia Day Ambassador, Lyndey Milan OAM attend our events at Coleambally and Darlington Point.”

Ms Milan, who is a well-known cooking and food show personality, said she really enjoyed going to not one but two new places this Australia Day.

“Regionality is as much about the people who live in an area as it is about the produce or the way it is cooked and each place is intrinsically different,” Ms Milan said.

“I really value going to small communities on Australia Day.

“They put so much into it and it means so much to all involved. “It allows me to get a real feeling for this great land of ours and its people.

“I come away truly an ambassador for the region, having learned more about it and tasted its produce.”

Australia Day Award recipients for 2023 were:

Coleambally:

• Citizen of the Year, Paul Muir.
• Young Citizen of the Year, Daniel Collier.
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Penny Sheppard.
• Event of the Year, Taste Coleambally Food and Farm Festival.
• Sportsperson of the Year, Daniel Collier.
• Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Hannah Pound.
• Sub-junior Sportsperson of the Year, Charlize Perkins.
• Environmental Citizen of the Year, Coleambally Men’s Bowling Club.
• Sporting team of the Year, St Peter’s PP5 Swimming Relay Team - Charlize Perkins, Abbey Muir, Logan Pound and Coco Rossato.
• Cultural Award, COLCOM Stage Productions.

Darlington Point:

• Citizen of the Year, Robert Gumbleton.
• Junior Sportsperson of the Year, Ivana-Rose Lawson.
• Event/Group Achievement of the Year, Darlington Point Riverina Classic Catch & Release Fishing Competition.

Jerilderie:

• Citizen of the Year, Carina Rorato.
• Sportsperson of the Year, Fiona Baxter.
• Little Aussie Awards:
  • Zavier Rorato, St Joseph’s Primary School.
  • Stella Williams, Jerilderie Public School.

IMAGE: Darlington Point Citizen of the Year, Robert Gumbleton with Australia Day ambassador Lyndey Milan OAM.

IMAGE: Jerilderie Citizen of the Year Carina Rorato with her son, Zavier Rorato who received St Joseph’s LIttle Aussie Award.

• Topics:

• Australia Day
• Awards