MOREE Plains Shire Council has received 25 nominations for the 2025 Australia Day Awards ceremony.
The ceremony, featuring Moree Plains Shire Australia Day Ambassador Linda Sparrow, will start at 8am at Jellicoe Park on Sunday, January 26.
The annual awards recognises the good work and commitment from individuals, as well as community groups and organisations from across the Moree Plains Shire.
Individual nominations include former Moree Plains Shire Council general manager Kelvin Tytherleigh, Moree Lions’ Beth Hearn, Rob Bartel, Pally Markets co-ordinator and community volunteer Bree Pring, Miyay Birray Youth Service youth worker Glen Crump and Pius X Aboriginal Corporation executive team member Zoe Duke.
Darryl Brady, winner of the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2021, has also been nominated, along with Moree Show Society vice-president Lachlan Biddle, Moree Junior Rugby Club’s and former St Phillies P&F president Scott Antees, Moree Junior Rugby League volunteer Wilmar Heymer and Weebolla Bulls stalwart Peter Winkley, whose voluntary work at Moree Rugby Union Club, Moree Golf Club and Moree Cemetery is ongoing.
Also in the mix is athletics coach Ronny Clissold, world-ranked powerlifter Eric Dumas, the Moree Midget Kate McDonald, junior athlete Lakia Noble and junior tennis ace Jayde James.
Organisations and events nominated include Moree on a Plate, Run the Plains, Moree Park Run, Moree Garden Club, Moree Junior Rugby League Club, Moree Lions Club, Lifehouse and Lifehouse Pantry, and Moree and District Historical Society.
Categories include Citizen of the Year (over 25 years), Young Citizen of the Year (aged 16-25 years), Community Event of the Year, Community-Volunteer Group of the Year, Sports Person of the Year, Young Sports Person of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
Moree Plains deputy mayor Wayne Tighe, last year’s Citizen of the Year recipient, congratulated all nominees.
“It was a great honour to receive the Citizen of the Year award last year, and I look forward to meeting all the nominees for the various awards at this year’s Australia Day ceremony,” Mr Tighe said.
“Again, council received a good number of nominations and each and every one of them are deserving of recognition for the unsung work they do across all Moree shire communities – they are all winners,” he said.
Co-founder and president of Bangalow Koalas, Linda Sparrow, has been named Moree Plains Shire Australia Day Ambassador.
Ms Sparrow is a passionate environmental advocate whose work helps safeguard the future of Australia’s iconic koalas.
Since founding Bangalow Koalas six years ago, Ms Sparrow has spearheaded the planting of more than 413,000 trees across 150 properties in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, with a goal to reach half-a-million trees by the end of this year.
Her mission is to create koala corridors connecting fragmented habitats, ensuring a safe and sustainable environment for koalas and other wildlife.
Australia Day Moree Awards Ceremony
When: Sunday, January 26
Where: Jellicoe Park, Moree
Time: From 8am, with awards ceremony commencing at 9am
