Citizens, Young Citizens, Community Events and Sports - Australia Day

Greater Hume Australia Day Winners                                                       

Australia Day 2025 in Greater Hume was held at the fantastic Henty Recreation Grounds, it was a fabulous ceremony, with over 350 people attending. Our Master of Ceremonies, Cr Brian Liston ran the official ceremony, announcing the local nominees and winners for our award categories.  Some of the highlights were the wonderful addresses given by our Australia Day Ambassador, Mr James Pittar, St Paul’s College captain’s Archie Frohling and Jessica Martin, and Cr Lea Parker, Mayor, Greater Hume Council. The Australian flag was unfurled by a representative of the Henty Community, Harlan Candy. The Henty Singers led Advance Australia Fair and provided entertainment throughout the ceremony.

Two residents of Greater Hume became Australian citizens following an official Australian Citizenship Ceremony, they were:

  • Alison Crilly, Culcairn
  • Alana Rickard, Little Billabong

Congratulations to all the award nominees and winners who were recognised for their hard work on behalf of the Greater Hume community, and the winners were:

  • Citizen of the Year – Alison Schuster, Henty
  • Youth Empowerment Award – Lucy Grills, Holbrook
  • Individual Volunteers of the Year – joint winners, Kerry Small, Henty, Colin Barrett, Henty and Andrew Kotzur, Walla Walla
  • Group Volunteers of the Year – joint winners, Holbrook Meals on Wheels and Rural Care Link Op Shop Volunteers, Jindera
  • Sports Person/Team of the Year – Ashley-James Bender, Holbrook
  • Sports Volunteer/s of the Year – joint winners, John Mullavey, Walla Walla and Debbie Mills, Holbrook
  • Community Event of the Year – joint winners Brock-Burrum Big Freeze and Walla Walla Lutheran Church Centenary 

 

School Citizenship Awards:

Billabong High School Iilysh Retalick
Brocklesby Public School Gracie Buckingham
Burrumbuttock Public School Taylor Hawkins
Culcairn Public School Maddison Lloyd-Wilson
Gerogery Public School Mollie Cornell
Henty Public School Charlie Chambers
Holbrook Public School Lachlan Saunders
Jindera Public School Isaac Thompson
St John's Lutheran School Molly Ginnivan
St Joseph’s Primary School James Thomson
St Patrick's Primary School Heidi Hulme
St Paul's Lutheran Primary School Zoe Lieschke
St Paul’s College Jaiah Disher
Walbundrie Public School Dylan Phillips
Walla Walla Public School Ashton Jacob

                              

A big thank you to:

  • Henty Community and Lion’s Club - For their outstanding job of working through the logistics of holding Australia Day in such a lovely setting and for providing a delicious breakfast.
  • Our Master of Ceremonies, Cr Brian Liston
  • Munyabla Rural Fire Brigade
  • Morgan Country Car Club
  • St John’s Ambulance
  • Feed the Soul for the delicious morning tea
  • Australia Day Council of NSW and National Australia Day Council

 

Photos below courtesy of Leanne Bickley Photography:  

  1.  Citizen of the Year 2025 Alison Schuster Henty.jpg(JPG, 11MB)
  2. Andrew Kotzur, Walla Walla, Colin Barrett, Henty and Kerry Small, Henty - Individual Volunteer of the Year Joint Winners(JPG, 9MB)
  3. Mr James Pittar, Ambassador giving his address to the Australia Day crowd(JPG, 17MB)  

 

Citizens, Young Citizens, Community Events and Sports in Greater Hume

Year

Title

Recipient

 2025 at Henty Recreation Ground, Henty Citizen of Year Alison Schuster, Henty 
Youth Empowerment Award  Lucy Grills, Holbrook 
   Sports Person/Team Year Ashley-James Bender, Holbrook
 Sports Volunteer of Year John Mullavey, Walla Walla and Debbie Mills, Holbrook
   Group Volunteer of Year Holbrook Meals on Wheels and Rural Care Link Op Shop Volunteers, Jindera
 Individual Volunteer of Year Andrew Kotzur, Walla Walla, Colin Barrett, Henty and Kerry Small, Henty 
   Community Event of Year Brock Burrum Big Freeze and Walla Walla Lutheran Church Centenary
2024 at Wymah Recreation Reserve, Wymah Citizen of Year Allison Scott, Henty
Young Citizen of Year  Tahlie Weston, Henty 
   Sports Person/Team of Year Lucy Grills, Holbrook
Sports Volunteer/s of Year  Jada Murphy, Henty
   Community Event of Year Festival by the Sub, Holbrook and Henty Streetscpe 2023
2023 at Brocklesby Recreation Ground, Brocklesby  Citizen of Year  Francis Fifield, Henty and Peter and Alison Campbell, Henty 
Young Citizen of Year  Aimee Riley, Jindera
   Sports Person/Team of Year Henty Pennant Golf Team
Sports Volunteer/s of Year  Henty Cricket Club Grants Committee 
  Community Event of Year   Culcairn Street Party
2022 at Ten Mile Creek Gardens, Holbrook  Citizen of Year  Ross and Helen Krause, Walla Walla
 Young Citizen of Year Jole Hoffmann, Walla Walla and Jessica Toogood, Henty
Sports Person/Team of Year  Ben Parker, Holbrook and Fours Team Holbrook RS Women's Bowling Club
Community Event of Year Book Launch of 'Henty Heroes: Short stories of Henty's Enlistments of World War 1'
 2021 at Walbundrie Recreation Ground, Walbundrie Citizen of Year  Murray Jones, Holbrook
Young Citizen of Year  Daniel Hawkins, Lankey's Creek and Alexandra Toogood, Henty 
  Sports Person/Team of Year   No award given
 Community Event of Year Walbundrie Hub 
2020 at Culcairn Recreation Ground, Culcairn  Citizen of Year Bruce Diffey, Henty
 Young Citizen of Year  Madison Doughty, Jindera
 Sports Person/Team of Year  Lucy Grills, Holbrook
 Community Event of Year Walbundrie Cricket Club Pink Stumps and Walla Walla 150th Anniversary Celebrations 

2019 at Walla Walla Sportsground, Walla Walla


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018 at Jindera Recreation Ground, Jindera

 

Citizen of Year

John Seidel, Walla Walla

Young Citizen of Year

Nathaniel Wenke, Culcairn

Sports Person/Team of Year

no award given

Sports Volunteer of Year

Abby Paton, Morven

Community Event of Year

Henty Streetscape Party and Jindera 150th Celebrations

Citizen of Year

Diana Wegener, Walla Walla and Michael Broughan, Henty

Young Citizen of Year

Mitchell O'Keeffe, Culcairn

Sports Person/Team of Year

no award given

Sports Volunteer of Year

no award given

Community Event of Year

Walbundrie Go Fish Day

2017 at Henty Memorial Park, Henty

Citizen of Year

Jeff Grosse, Walla Walla

Young Citizen of Year

Emily Jones, Henty

Sports Award of Year

Julie Barber, Walla Walla (Highly Commended to Nakita Singe, Henty)

Community Event of Year

Walla Walla Swap Meet, Show and Shine

2016 at Wymah Recreation Reserve, Wymah

Citizen of Year

Herbert Simpfendorfer, Walla Walla

Young Citizen of Year

Victoria Ellis, Walla Walla

Sports Award of Year

Craig Wenke, Walla Walla

Community Event of Year

CHACA Morgan Country Car Club and Swap Meet, Jindera and Holbrook Sheep and Wool Fair

2015 at Gerogery Public School Ground, Gerogery

Citizen of Year

Bernard Clark, Henty and Myrna Frohling, Burrumbuttock

Young Citizen of Year

Laura Kane, Henty

Sports Award of Year

Ruth Kotzur, Walla Walla

Community Event of Year

Holbrook Equine Centre B & S Ball

2014 at Burrumbuttock Recreation Ground, Burrumbuttock

Citizen of Year

Alwyn Collins - Walbundrie

Young Citizen of Year

Carrington Melbourne - Holbrook

Sports Award of Year

Jeremy Finlayson - Culcairn

Community Event of Year

Culcairn Classic Car Club Show and Shine, Swap Meet and Market - Culcairn

2013 at Walbundrie Recreation Ground, Walbundrie

Citizen of Year

Nancy Lee - Culcairn

Young Citizen of Year

Jessica Kotzur - Walla Walla

Sports Award of Year

Alyssa Savill - Holbrook

Community Event of Year

Blessing of the Bonnets, Henty

2012 at Woomargama Hall, Woomargama

Citizen of Year

Elmore Stoll - Culcairn

Young Citizen of Year

No award given

Sports Award of Year

Molly Dowling - Holbrook

Community Event of Year

100th Walbundrie Agricultural Show

2011 at Jindera Recreation Ground, Jindera

Citizen of Year

John Jacob - Walla Walla

Young Citizen of Year

Klara Glaw - Jindera

Sports Award of Year

Ashley Lindner - Burrumbuttock

Community Event of Year

Walla Walla 125th Anniversary Celebration

2010 at Jubilee Park, Culcairn

Citizen of Year

Heather Johnson - Morven

Young Citizen of Year

Steven Taylor - Holbrook

Sports Award of Year

Trevor Merkel - Walla Walla

Community Event of Year

Jindera Drought Relief Program through Rural Care Link and Jindera Swimming Pool Committee Bush Fire Appeal.

2009 at Morgan's Lookout, Walla Walla

Citizen of Year

Lois Dunchue - Jindera

Young Citizen of Year

No award given

Sports Award of Year

Trevor Smith - Culairn

Community Event of Year

Culcairn's 125th Birthday Celebrations Festival

2008 at Memorial Park, Henty

Citizen of Year

Mervyn Wegener - Walla Walla

Young Citizen of Year

Samantha Jones - Henty

Sports Award of Year

Brian Frana - Holbrook

Community Event of Year

Burrumbuttock Village Festival

2007 at Brocklesby Hall, Brocklesby

Citizen of Year

Joan Schilg - Brocklesby

Young Citizen of Year

Katherine Bowler - Holbrook

Sports Award of Year

Peter Waite - Holbrook

Community Event of Year

Walbundrie Show

2006 at Ten Mile Creek, Holbrook

Citizen of Year

Diane McElwaine - Culcairn

Young Citizen of Year

Serena Kent - Culcairn

Sports Award of Year

No award given

Community Event of Year

Commander Holbrook Cup Race Meeting and Walla Walla Lions Heritage Festival

 

Citizens and Young Citizens of Year from former Shires (1994 - 2005)

 

Year Award Culcairn Shire Council Holbrook Shire Council Hume Shire Council
2005 Citizen of Year Elanor Kreutzberger Beth Bender Fe Colman

Young Citizen of Year John Feltrin n/a Madeline Plunkett
2004 Citizen of Year Maxwell Davidson (Dec) Annette White Graham Beesley

Young Citizen of Year Alison Seidel n/a Matthew Gardiner
2003 Citizen of Year Gina McMillan (Dec) Dr A Lakshmanan Stuart Dye

Young Citizen of Year Michelle Burns (nee Wilson) n/a

Allen & Christopher Chang

2002 Citizen of Year Leslie Dale Toby Liersch Leo & Cath Lillyman

Young Citizen of Year Jayden Kotzur n/a David Rollason
2001 Citizen of Year Maxwell Webb Bev Geddes Jenny O’Neill

Young Citizen of Year Elizabeth Clancy n/a Natalie Walker
2000 Citizen of Year Yvonne Booth Sheila McKinnon (Dec’d) Darryl Jacob

Young Citizen of Year Joanna Bedggood n/a Anna Mensinga
1999 Citizen of Year Noel Wood Arthur Larcombe Ron Wilkins

Young Citizen of Year James Whale n/a Kate Jarick
1998 Citizen of Year Milton Taylor OBE Ann & Ray Hosken Rebecca May

Young Citizen of Year Kimberley Meyer n/a Sandie McKoy & Sarah Wicks
1997 Citizen of Year Gill Bahr Jack Daniel (Dec’d) Fr Robert Murphy

Young Citizen of Year Alexander Morison n/a Isabel Seidel
1996 Citizen of Year Thomas Fowler Father Bert Stanley (Dec’d) Rhonda Burns & Sheryl Pitman

Young Citizen of Year Melissa Knight n/a Anne-Maree Quinn
1995 Citizen of Year Bruno Biti Margaret Geddes Greg Rooney

Young Citizen of Year Renee Schilg n/a Susan Nesbitt
1994 Citizen of Year David Watson Roger Geddes Margary Wehner

Young Citizen of Year Kylie Simpendorfer n/a Debra Clarke