Congratulations to 2024 Australia Day Award winners

On Australia Day, members of the public across the Riverina and Central West were recognised for services to their community.

It was an honour to have attended Wagga Wagga’s 2024 Australia Day Awards and hear about the fantastic contributions award winners have been making in the community.

City of Wagga Wagga award recipients

  • Citizen of the Year: Annette St Clair

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Angus Smith

  • Environmental Citizen of the Year: Demonstration Gardens Wagga Wagga

  • Walk of Honour: Peter Cox

A big congratulations to the aforementioned and to all other award winners in the Riverina and Central West, including:

Bland Shire Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Amanda Stitt

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Hugh Williams

  • Sports Person of the Year: Colin Clarke

  • Young Sportsperson of the Year: Kayne Crowe

  • Community Service Award: Ann Mangelsdorf

  • Community Ambassador: Shirley Clay

  • Community Event of the Year: Wyalong Motorsports Club

Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council

Cootamundra

  • Citizen of the Year: Margery Blackney

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Kyle Collins

  • Sportsperson of the Year: Alexis Phillips

Gundagai

  • Citizen of the Year: Marie Lindley

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Kali Hutchison

  • Sportsperson of the Year: Craig Bond

Coolamon Shire Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Stephen Hatty

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Edward Hatty

  • Shane Till Memorial Sporting Achievement: Peter Corbett

  • Young Sportsperson of the Year: Riley Bradshaw

  • Community Event / Community Group of the Year: Advance Matong Committee

Cowra Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Karren Cave

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Samuel Haeata

  • Community Group of the Year: Cowra Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society

  • Dr Warren Whiley Memorial Award: Jan Munday

Forbes Shire Council

  • Citizens of the Year: Cheryl and Rex Barton

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Jessica Ashcroft

  • Senior Citizen of the Year: Deirdre Quirk

Hilltops Council

Boorowa

  • Lions/Apex Boorowa Citizen of the Year: Alan and Sina Banks

  • The Len & Joan Oxley Memorial Award: Greta Campbell

  • Rotary Young Achiever of the Year: Paris Corcoran

  • Boorowa Community Landcare Awards: Nick Gay, Pen Gay and Ingrid Corcoran

  • Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Mark Poplin

  • Junior Sportsperson of the Year (18 years and under): Eliza Taylor and Isabella Piper

  • Junior Sportsperson of the Year (12 years and under): Amali Bush

  • Sporting Team of the Year: Boorowa Rovers Men’s Team

  • Club Person of the Year: Martin Corcoran

  • Community Awards: Laurie Poole, Elizabeth Mason and Derrick Mason

Harden-Murrumburrah

  • Citizen of the Year: Maureen Watts

  • Senior Citizen of the Year: Jeffery (Knocky) Stevens

  • Special Community Award: Keith Ward and Kate Ward

  • Towncare Award: Rita O’Connor

Wombat

  • Wombatian Citizen of the Year: Jamie Britt and Chelsea Sullivan

  • Junior Sportsperson: Kelsy Loco

  • Environmental Award: Ben Bokkerink

Young

  • Citizen of the Year: MAJ (AAC) Phillip Mitchell

  • Junior Citizen of the Year: Anneliese Rothe

  • Business of the Year: Amber Blythe Conveyancing

Junee Shire Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Ian Manwaring

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Claire Foley

  • Arts and Community Award of the Year: Dr Susan Wood

  • Sports Award of the Year: Elise Smith

  • Team of the Year: Junee SES

Lockhart Shire Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Larraine Hoffmann

  • Australia Day Awards: Natasha Gowland and Larraine Hoffmann

  • Sportsperson of the Year: Majella Day

Parkes Shire Council

Bogan Gate

  • Flag Raiser: Samantha Smith

  • Service to the Community: Xavier McDonald

Parkes

  • Performance Award: Parkes East School Marimba Troupe, Parkes Dance Co - Jessica Kinsela and Parkes Christian School - Seussical the Musical

  • Cultural Lifetime Achievement Award - Douglas Richards

  • Community Event of the Year: Back to Peak Hill Weekend, Parkes Community Arts - Who is Parkes? Exhibition, Parkes Christian School - Seussical the Musical, Peak Hill Leisure, Arts & Crafts 50th Annual June Long Weekend Exhibition, Frontline Services Ball and Bogan Gate 125 Years Celebration Weekend

  • Community Lifetime Achievement Award: Maureen Stone

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Marshall Munn and Sharntelle Schnitger

  • Citizen of the Year: Dooley and Bec Thompson, Daniel Wright, Maureen Stone, Kerrie-Ann Schembri and Toni Bell

Peak Hill

  • Citizen of the Year: Toni Bell

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Sharntelle Schnitger

Trundle

  • Citizen of the Year: David Morrison, Tracey Farrar and Ashleigh Farrar

  • Sportsperson of the Year: Isabella Skipworth

  • Service to the Trundle Community: Trundle Junior Cricket, Trundle Junior Golf, Matthew Aveyard and Jason Maher

Tullamore

  • Service to the Tullamore Community: Sandy Lye

  • Dedication to their Sport: Emma Rippon and Riley Horsburgh

Weddin Shire Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Karen Stuttle

  • Senior Citizens of the Year: Mary Corkeron and Peter Butcher

  • Community Organisation of the Year: NAIDOC Grenfell

  • Community Achievement Awards: Grace Apps and Amber Atkins

  • Youth Achievement Awards: Henry Power, Nicholas Penfold, Heidi Morley, Camilla Metcalfe and Xanthe Johnson

  • Higher School Certificate Award: Annie Armstrong

Temora Shire Council

  • Citizen of the Year: Bob Brabin

  • Young Citizen of the Year: Elizabeth West

  • Event of the Year: A Coo-ee to Marie

Well done to all!

Shane Manning