Australia Day awards

As Citizen of the Year, Graeme has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to the local area, most notably through his service to the Moama Fire Brigade over the last 50 years.

Graeme joined the brigade in 1973 and became captain in early 1990.

Over the past five decades, Graeme has exemplified the true spirit of selflessness. His tireless efforts, sacrifices, and countless acts of service have left an indelible mark on the fire and rescue services, both locally and across the state.

He has a determination to go above and beyond in all areas of the job; Community asset fire protection; accident responses and rescue; fire prevention and preparedness, education; inclusion and diversity; and community service.

His strong leadership and operational expertise have also been heavily drawn on throughout many emergencies during his time of service. In fact, there is unlikely to be a significant emergency event in the last 40+ years that Graeme wouldn’t have responded to.

Graeme has consistently demonstrated unmatched dedication, resilience, and a genuine concern for the welfare of others. His leadership has inspired generations of firefighters, fostering a sense of camaraderie and a commitment to service that will endure for years to come.

It is with immense gratitude and admiration that we recognise the unwavering commitment Graeme has shown to the safety and well-being of our community for such an impressive period of time.

Graeme has been selected as Citizen of the Year for his ongoing contributions over the past 50-years and his continued service to the local community.

Jobe has been recognised as Young Citizen of the Year for being an amazing role model within the local area.

At just 12-years-old, Jobe is a wonderful example of a brilliant young citizen. He consistently shines within the classroom, school yard, sporting fields and the community of Mathoura.

In the classroom, Jobe is a dedicated learner. He uses his learning time wisely and strives to achieve his highest possible results each day through hard work, persistence and a genuine love of learning. Jobe is supportive and encouraging of his peers and always displays the school’s three values of being a respectful, responsible and resilient.

In the school yard, Jobe’s dedication to his role as school captain of Mathoura Public School has been outstanding. He has successfully fulfilled this important leadership position and is a role model to all students. Jobe values every single student within the school and will always go out of his way to include the younger students in recess and lunch time activities.

On the sporting field, Jobe always gives 110% in everything he does. He is encouraging to others and always committed to achieving his best. Jobe has regularly represented the school in many different sports at district and regional carnivals. He is a team player and supports, encourages and values every player on his team.

In the community, Jobe co-led Mathoura’s Anzac Day Commemorative Service, where he spoke confidently in front of a large crowd attending the service. Community members relayed to the school how impressed they were with Jobe’s public speaking skills and that he delivered a genuine sense of reverence and respect for this important ceremony.

Jobe participated in a local debating competition against other schools and guided his team to a successful victory as equal winners of the Deniliquin District. He also took on a lead role in the school’s recent production ‘Are We There Yet?’.

Jobe is undoubtedly an inspirational role model for young people. He is known for his kindness, has demonstrated maturity beyond his years, is a great ambassador for the local community and is certainly a worthy recipient of the Young Citizen of the Year Award. 

As Sportsperson of the Year, Damien has been recognised for his recent achievements on the Ten Pin Bowling circuit!

He recently competed in the Special Olympics State Games held in Melbourne and bowled well above his average score.

He bowled so well in fact that he helped secure gold medals for his team.

But not only were his bowling efforts first-class, the leadership he displayed at the games was also second-to-none. Damien guided his team members to their positions in the bowling lanes and even helped the team they were competing against.  

All competitors and team managers acknowledged Damien’s compassion and sportsmanship. He represented the local region with humility, class and of course, skilful bowling.

Damien is not only a talented competitor but an outstanding teammate. His individual achievements are exceptional and the contribution he makes to his team are to be commended.

Damien is clearly an outstanding member of the local community and embodies all the values that the Sportsperson of the Year award stands for.

Lara has been recognised for her outstanding individual achievements in netball.

As a passionate and dedicated sportsperson, she has achieved exceptional sporting success over the past 12-months. 

Early in the 2023 season Lara was selected in the Echuca and District Netball Association’s Under-13’s representative side. After a few training sessions, it was evident that Lara not only had great netball abilities but was also a great leader amongst her teammates. It was here that she was named captain by her coach.  

Lara travelled many kilometres most Sundays to participate in games across NSW and Victora. Her team also went through the whole tournament undefeated, and she was awarded the ‘Best on Court Medal’ in the grand final for her outstanding netball abilities.

While Lara was representing her district, she was also playing for her home club in Mathoura; taking the court every Saturday in the U13’s team, and some weeks up in the U15’s. Here she was also chosen by her coach and peers to lead the team as captain because of her sporting ability, leadership, professionalism and great sportsmanship. Her team even made the finals for the first time in a while!

Lara was awarded the club’s best and fairest medal and went on to win the League’s top honour too, winning this by a total of 9 votes to her nearest rival.

Lara is not only a talented netballer, but she also displays outstanding sportsmanship among her peers and the entire club. She volunteers for the canteen Lolly Shop on Saturdays, is always encouraging her teammates and will congratulate other competitors on their efforts as well.

Lara is certainly a committed member of both her local sporting club and representative teams and has demonstrated passion and commitment in all aspects of her netball over this past year.

Lara is clearly an outstanding member of the local community and has demonstrated dedication, fairness, professionalism and embodies all the values that the Young Sportsperson of the Year award stands for. 

Moulamein’s Local RFS brigade has been awarded Community Group of the Year for their incredible efforts during the October 2022 flood event.

The group has been recognised for their exceptional efforts, not only during the floods but also in the challenging aftermath that extended well into the new year. In the face of adversity, this remarkable group of individuals rose to the occasion with extraordinary valor and commitment.

Lead by their dedicated captain Alesha, each member went above and beyond the call of duty, exemplifying the true spirit of community service.

In those critical moments, the fire brigade sacrificed their time to protect the town from the flood, putting in countless hours to secure the levy’s. Their untold hours of dedication ensured that the town did not lose more than one home to the rising waters.

Remarkably, amidst the flood chaos, this dedicated team did not falter in their commitment to the community. Serving as both the RFS and road crash rescue unit, they attended to every situation that arose across the district. Their multi-faceted role showcases their versatility, proving that they are not just firefighters but also heroes who stand ready to tackle any challenge thrown their way.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Moulamein RFS for their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of the local community.

The Action Group have been recognised for their outstanding coordination efforts when hosting an overnight leg of the 2023 ‘Shit Box Rally’ in March 2023.

The Shitbox Rally is a car rally that has raised and donated over $41 million to cancer research over the past 14 years.

The Action Group were contacted in 2022 to see if they would be interested in coordinating an overnight stay for the Rally the following year. From all accounts the answer was an overwhelming YES!

Yes to 500 'Sit Down' meals, 500 Breakfasts, 500 packed lunches and a night of community hospitality.  So, a community committee was quickly formed, and the function was set to be held at the Tooleybuc Rec Reserve.

There was help and assistance from plenty of local clubs and committees including The Footy Club, Echuca Discoveries Swan Hill, Tooleybuc Cricket Club, Tooleybuc Central School and the Tooleybuc Bridge Keepers Op Shop.

Local businesses also chipped in included farmers, retail and Andrew Peace Wines who donated wine with a unique 'Tooleybuc'/'Shitbox' label. The action group also produced stubby holders with the same design - which all sold out before the dinner sitting.

The event was also spotlighted on Chanel 9’s TODAY Show, which was a big coo for the Tooleybuc community.

In the end the Action Group were able to distribute almost $25,000 between the community groups involved. It was a lot of work, but the community rallied together to showcase Tooleybuc’s amazing hospitality and charm.

It is an enduring credit to all of the volunteers who provided their expertise and time to pull this event together. A huge congratulations to the Tooleybuc Piangil Action Group for leading the charge; they are certainly worthy recipients of the Community Group of the Year Award.

Golden Rivers Theatre Group is receiving the Arts and Culture Award for their outstanding contribution to the local arts space.

The Theatre Group is a group of dedicated amateur performers who work with great enthusiasm to prepare and perform shows for the local community. For over three decades, they have dedicated themselves to enriching our lives through the magic of theatre and embracing members of all ages from our local community and beyond.

What sets the group apart is not only their outstanding performances but their commitment to education. Through thoughtfully crafted rehearsals, training and shows, they empower individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to flourish in the world of theatre. From stage managers to technical directors to those that love the centre stage; the theatre group provides the opportunity for locals to find, develop and hone their skills.  

The group began its days in 1990 when a group of volunteers came together to raise funds for the local community hospital through a concert-hall musical performance. This group inevitably grew over several years, becoming incorporated as "Golden Rivers Theatre Group Inc." in 1995. Since then, the group has aimed to produce a range of theatrical experiences from comedy to drama through both musicals and plays, authored by a wide variety of Australian and international playwrights. 

Today, 30 years on, Golden Rivers Theatre Group continues to captivate and inspire us. Their dedication to the performing arts has not only entertained but has also become an integral part of our local identity. As we applaud them today, let us recognise the profound impact they have made, allowing our community to discover, develop, and cherish their love for all things theatre.