Australia Day

2025 Australia Day Ceremonies and Awards

Volunteer Groups from across the Snowy Valleys will host individual  Australia Day Town Ceremonies on 26 January 2025 where town-specific Australia Day Awards will be presented.

The 2025 Snowy Valleys Region Australia Day Hosts are:

  • Adelong: Adelong Progress Association
  • Batlow: Rotary Club of Batlow
  • Talbingo: Talbingo Community Association - [email protected]
  • Tumbarumba: Rotary Club of Tumbarumba - [email protected]
  • Tumut: TBA 

Nominate a legend in your community

Australia Day Awards acknowledge the exceptional contributions of individuals and groups who go above and beyond their regular work commitments to enhance their local community.

To assist the volunteer groups, Council is collecting nominations on their behalf. The host groups will then be responsible for selecting their award winners and running the Australia Day commemorations.

Please use the nomination form below to acknowledge someone special in your town/community.  You can also download the hard copy nomination form(PDF, 218KB) to fill out manually if you prefer. 

Nominations close on Friday 30 November 2024.

Australia Day Awards Nomination Form

Snowy Valleys Council Australia Day Awards

Councillors will hold a civic reception the day before Australia Day, on 25 January 2025, to announce the Snowy Valleys Council Australia Day Award recipients who will be selected from the entire pool of town nominees per category.

  • Snowy Valleys Citizen of the Year
  • Snowy Valleys Young Citizen of the Year
  • Snowy Valleys Sportsperson of the Year
  • Snowy Valleys Environmental Citizen of the Year

Australia Day is the biggest day of celebration in the country and the 26 of January is observed as a public holiday in all states and territories.

On Australia Day we come together as a nation to celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. It's the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation. It's the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future.

More information about Australia Day can be found on the Australia Day Council of NSW website: australiaday.com.  

Past Snowy Valleys Australia Day Award Recipents

2024

Snowy Valleys Council Region
  • Citizen of the Year - Noel Berry, Talbingo
  • Junior Citizen of the Year - Amelia Murray, Tumbarumba

2023

Snowy Valleys Council Region
  • Citizen of the Year – Thomas Moss
  • Service to the Community – Jen Vinge
  • Sportsperson of the Year – Piper Duck
  • Sports Team of the Year – Franklin Public School's Girls Basketball Team
  • Achievement Awards - Mary Hoodless, Danica Peel, Terry Macgregor, Rodney McLachlan, Gemma-Loiuse Bremner, Janet Kendall, Lorraine Oliver, Erin Louise Nurthen, Robyn Hotston, Rodney McLachlan, Deirdre Greenhalgh and the Ournie Hall Committee, Robert Ironside, Toby Roots, Nate Annetts,Tumut Bulls Rugby Club.

 

2022

Snowy Valleys Council Region
  • Citizen of the Year - Raymond (Dossie) Carr
  • Young Citizen of the Year -Savannah Cooper
  • Service to Community - Patricia Mangelsdorf
  • Sportsperson of the Year -Thomas Roche
  • Environmental Champion of the Year - Martin Canteros-Paz
  • Achievement Awards - Jill Dodd, John Freeman, Lesley Barlee, Samantha Phillips, Kane Stewart, Monique Toppin, Debbie Gadd, Greg Hammond, Jon Burgun, Kevin Smith, LIz Crampton, Richard Kociolek, Jai Crampton, Monique Bullock, Steven Houting, David Maginnity.

 

2021

Snowy Valleys Council Region
  • Citizen of the Year - John Cruise
  • Young Citizen of the Year - Aaron Tuilau, Edward Smith & Arthur Smith
  • Service to Community -Dr Tarek Sari
  • Sportsperson of the Year - Jacob Ambrose
  • Achievement Awards - Adrian Cass, Christine Male, Dave Crooks, Dr Tarek Sari, Emma Toohey, Kerry Kelly, Indiana Everingham, Aaron Tuilau, Edward Smith, Arthur Smith, Geoff Molineaux, Khancoban Emergency Services & Community Members, Malcolm Baker, Megan Schumer, Nigel Grant Contracting, Rudy Kopecny, Sounds of the Mountains Radio Station, Steve Matthews, Talbingo Community, Ted Clarke. 

 

2020

Snowy Valleys Council Region
  • Citizen of the Year - Jan Locke
  • Young Citizen of the Year - Rory Phillips
  • Service to Community - Tumut Takes 2
  • Sportsperson of the Year - Megan Castle
  • Sports Team of the Year - Tumut Blues Group 9 Premiership Team
  • Achievement Awards - Lucy Henderson, Neil Hamilton, Doug Gee, Jasmine Robinson, Patricia Mangelsdorf, Jan Locke, Rachel Brown, Jasmine Cremona, Talbingo Supermarket, Dr Tarek Sari, Talbingo Talkabout Committee, Phyllis Darragh, Kimberly Towse. 

 

2019

Tumbarumba Region
  • Citizen of the Year -Rod Gollan
  • Senior Citizen of the Year -George Martin
  • Young Citizen of the Year - Amy Eggleton
  • Community Group of the Year -Cycle Tumbarumba
  • Community Event of the Year - Tumbarumba Public School 150 Year Celebrations
  • Sportsperson - Charlie Bergin
  • Special Achievement Awards -Garry and Dianne McLelland, Phoenix Richards, Trevor Jones, Mary Hoodless, Karen Miles, Tumbarumba Campdraft Club, Rex Dennis, Fred Weule
 Tumut Region
  • Citizen of the Year - Keith Dawson and Hugh Packard
  • Young Citizen of the Year - Daniel Hibbens
  • Service to Community - Joy Beruter
  • Senior Sportsperson of the Year -Geoff Naylor
  • Junior Sportsperson of the Year -Grace Whyte
  • Sports Team of the Year - Tumut High School Yr7/8 Boys Netball Team
  • Achievement Awards -Leanne Turnbull, Bob Qarmby,Lori Webb, Lily Rosetta, Ronan Crain, Clare Miller, Doug Martin, Suzann Post, Jean Graham, Keith Dawson, Emma Murray, Daniel Hibbens, Adelong S&C Volunteer Group, Teagan Fava, Lori Webb, Amanda King, Leanne Turnbull, Jack Ryan Committee, Fiona Matthews, Hannah Speers, Rowena Carey, Moira-June Avery, Tumut 13s Representative Netball Team

 

2018

Tumbarumba Region
  • Citizen of the Year -Tony and Susie a’Beckett 
  • Senior Citizen of the Year - Margaret Wolter
  • Young Citizen of the Year -Charlee Blencowe
  • Sporting Award -Ian Morey
  • Community Group of the Year -St Vincent de Paul
  • Community Event of the Year - Tastebuds - Open Garden Section
  • Special Achievement Awards - Peter Marshall, Bill McClellan, Jeff Sheather, Sam Harrison, Tracey Fair, Lucy Henderson, Judy & George Szymoniczek, Glenroy Heritage Reserve Volunteers
Tumut Region
  • Citizen of the Year -Dave Eisenhauer
  • Young Citizen of the Year -Josh Veitch
  • Service to Community -Osman Darwiche
  • Senior Sportsperson of the Year -Bruce Giles
  • Junior Sportsperson of the Year -Catelin Crawford
  • Sports Team of the Year - Tumut Public School Mixed Netball Team
  • Achievement Awards - Jackie Nicholes, Bruce Giles, Osman Darwiche, Colin Akers, Leah Ferguson, Greg Kabar, Andrew James, Lions Club of Tumut, Dave Eisenhauer, Tara Arnall, Tumut Public School Girls Basketball Team

 

2017

Tumbarumba Region
  • Citizen of the Year - Ed and Jacki Lauder
  • Senior Citizen of the Year -Albert Jones
  • Young Citizen of the Year -Jemma Lorimer
  • Sporting Award -Tumbarumba Bowling Club's No.5 Pennant Team
  • Junior Sporting Award -Lily Murphy
  • Community Group of the Year -Tumbarumba Multi-Service Outlet Volunteers
  • Community Event of the Year -All Saints Deb Ball
  • Special Achievement Awards - Theresa McIntyre, David Hammersley, Bruce Wright, 
Tumut Region
  • Citizen of the Year - Graeme Sturt
  • Young Citizen of the Year - Cooryna Ackroyd
  • Service to Community - James (Robin) Reid
  • Senior Sportsperson - Brayden Elliott
  • Junior Sportsperson - Jack Gould