THE outstanding achievements of everyday Hawkesbury residents were honoured at the Hawkesbury Australia Day Awards 2019 at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery in Windsor on the evening of Friday, January 25.
Hawkesbury Mayor, Councillor Barry Calvert, hosted the event, and congratulated all Australia Day Award winners for their contributions to the community.
This year’s Hawkesbury Australia Day Ambassador was Cheryl Koenig, who is known for her community work and as a motivational speaker; she was named 2009 NSW Woman of the Year, and in 2014 received the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to people with disabilities, their families and carers.
Council acknowledged the traditional custodians of the land, the Darug people, and showed respect for elders past, present and future, and extended that respect to all Aboriginal people.
Darug elder, Aunty Edna Watson and Krystal Melvin, a young Darug woman and the granddaughter of Aunty Edna, offered a Welcome to Country.
The Hawkesbury also welcomed over 40 new citizens in the special citizenship ceremony held earlier in the evening, from countries including Canada, China, Iran, Lebanon, Malta, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Philippines, Samoa, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and Ukraine.
2019 Hawkesbury Australia Day Awards Winners
Citizen of the Year - Ross Matheson
Mr Matheson is the president of the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association (HDAA), a not-for-profit association which manages and operates the Hawkesbury Showground at Clarendon and puts on the annual Hawkesbury Show.
Mr Matheson has been a member of the HDAA for over 40 years, and a committee member and director for around 30 years, and he is head of the Showground Works Committee - all volunteer roles.
Mr Matheson contributed to the development of the Showground from a bare tract of land in 1986 to one of the premier showground and event facilities in the Greater Western Sydney Region.
He leads a team comprised of full-time employees and volunteers to stage the Hawkesbury Show.
He is responsible for working with external parties to stage successful events at the Showground, and contributing to the ongoing financial viability of the Showground to ensure it remains financially independent.
As head of the Works Committee, he has planned, project managed and completed projects with a value of around $700,000 including upgrading the internal roads and drainage within the Showground, constructing a new ambulant toilet block and installing a bore and irrigation system to the main arena.
Volunteer of the Year - Phillip Hurst and Betty Kelly
Phillip Hurst
Mr Hurst has been a volunteer in the Hawkesbury Rural Fire Service for more than 35 years.
He joined Kurrajong Heights Brigade in 1981 where he has held the positions of senior deputy captain, deputy captain, brigade treasurer, permit officer and brigade management team member, and he is deputy group captain in the Hawkesbury District.
He has been instrumental in running the Hawkesbury Rural Fire Service District High School Cadet program since 2011, during which time, 200 Year 9 and 10 local students have graduated from the program from schools including Colo High School, Windsor High School, Hawkesbury High School and Arndell Anglican College.
Mr Hurst is a mentor to the participating students and to the many local RFS volunteers.
Betty Kelly
Betty Kelly received a life membership of the Hawkesbury Hospital Auxiliary in July 2018 in recognition of more than 15 years of continuous service to Hawkesbury Hospital patients, their families and friends as well as to the staff of the health service.
During her time as a volunteer, Ms Kelly has fulfilled important leadership roles including as vice-president.
She made a significant contribution to volunteer ward services in her earlier years in the Auxiliary and also managed the group of volunteers who visited patients in the wards.
She volunteered regularly in the Hospital Gift Shop over the years, and still continues her work there despite being 90 years old with restricted mobility.
She is a mentor and guide to the other volunteers in the Auxiliary.
Community Organisation of the Year - City Slickers Appeal
The City Slickers Appeal is a not-for-profit organisation that helps our fellow Australian country men, women and children who are suffering from the devastating effects of drought.
The team of volunteers delivers precious cargo of hay, food hampers, water and household essentials to drought-stricken communities.
Local Hero Award - Sherri McMahon
Ms McMahon arrived in the Macdonald Valley in 1996, and quickly settled herself in to become a valuable member of the small, rural community.
She joined the local Volunteer Bushfire Brigade and trained as a firefighter, going on to become deputy captain and eventually senior deputy.
She is a primary producer, and a trustee of the St Albans Common.
She operates a widespread email network to notify residents (and visitors) about flood, fire and drought information as events unfold.
She regularly brings the community together for events in support of the St Albans School of Arts, Macdonald Valley Public School and the Writers Festival.
Hawkesbury Environmental Award - Windsor High School
Windsor High students Harrison Moxon, Sean Gaiter, Chase Wright and Caleb Chase entered a competition called Innovation Nation run by the Foundation for Young Australians which required them to develop ideas for social and environmental change.
Windsor High was one of the 10 teams selected on the merit, worthiness and the ability of their project, and they received a $1,000 micro grant, online resources, as well as coaching sessions with experienced business leaders.
The students focused on rubbish reduction and recycling and created the Cash Cage Project which is used to separate different recyclable items.
The student community determined that money earnt from ‘return and earn’ would be used to purchase compost bins to aid further reduction of waste and improve soil on the school grounds and agricultural plot.
