Posted: January 24, 2012

This year there are nine recipients of Stanthorpe Australia Day Awards, as the Stanthorpe Australia Day Citizen of the Year award has been awarded jointly for only the second time in the longstanding history of the Awards.

A spokesperson from the selection panel said the calibre of this year's nominees was outstanding and it was impossible to differentiate between these two valuable community members. The last time the Australia Day Citizen of the Year was awarded jointly was in 1988 and it is only the fourth time over the lifetime of the awards that a joint award in any category has been bestowed.

Mayor Ron Bellingham said the prestigious Stanthorpe Australia Day Awards were an opportunity to acknowledge the work that is done voluntarily in communities in and around Stanthorpe and Wallangarra and that everyone who is nominated should consider themselves valued.

“These prestigious awards are important within our regional community and it is always a challenge to choose one person out of a number of nominees who all equally deserve community recognition.”

The 2012 Stanthorpe Australia Day award recipients are:

Australia Day Citizen - William (Bill) Humble

The Australia Day Citizen of the Year for 2012 is William (Bill) Humble.

Bill arrived in Stanthorpe from the UK in 1967 and he immediately embraced the life of community service. He is recognised for his membership and support of numerous volunteer organisations within the Stanthorpe community and the enormous amount of personal time dedicated to working tirelessly for many community organisations.

Bill’s most significant contribution to the community is through the Australian Small Winemakers Show of which he is a key individual. He is described as the “engine room” of the Small Winemakers Show where he spends countless hours annually ensuring all tasks are completed to a high quality. The show is a premier annual event for the Australian wine industry and Bill has been instrumental in helping to raise its standard to national significance.

Service to the Rural Fire Brigade is another passion and Bill has been actively involved since 2002 mainly in the role of Community Educator helping landowners to develop bushfire survival plans. He received Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow award in 2006 for services to the local community and he was made an honorary member of Rotary in 2003. Bill performed as Town Crier for many years, adding colour to many events. He supported Stanthorpe Amateur Boxing for several years as a referee and trainer, volunteered at many Apple & Grape Harvest Festival and has been a generous and dependable support of Stanthorpe Little Theatre.

Bill’s nomination for this award correctly puts him as an affable, warm-hearted and open personality which enables him to engage with a myriad of people across all ages. He leads by example with his tireless work effort and his unassuming manner motivates all around him.

Australia Day Citizen - Brian Springborg

The Australia Day Citizen of the Year for 2012 is Brian Springborg.

The award recognises Brian’s volunteer service to the communities of Wallangarra and Jennings specifically to the Wallangarra Rural Fire Brigade, Wallangarra/Jennings Progress Association, Little Union Church, Border Bike & Custom Car Show, Driver Reviver Centre, Border Markets, Christmas Fair, Australia Day Celebrations and the State Emergency Service.

Brian’s dedication to the community is described in the nomination as “a conscientious works for his employee (the Council) and truly marvellous volunteer helper for all things that make Wallangarra a marvellous place to live”.

Brian has been with the SES since 1988, Rural Fire Brigade since 1990, Progress Association since the early 1990’s, Church President since 1999, Driver Reviver volunteer since 1989 and has lived in Wallangarra all of his life. Through his involvement in the State Emergency Service, Brian has served communities elsewhere when the need has arisen. In 2009 he travelled to Cairns and The Gap (Brisbane) following floods and cyclonic conditions, Cairns again in 2010 following floods, Innisfail twice in 2011 after floods and assisted at Condamine in 2011 following the major floods of 12 months ago. A special effort was made by Brian to assist the people of Grantham following flooding that occurred in that area in early 2011.

Brian is described as a passionate volunteer for his community, is an inspiration to all and is a valuable asset to the town of Wallangarra.

Australia Day Junior Award - Cecilia Campbell

The Australia Day Young Citizen for 2012 is Cecilia Campbell.

This award recognises Cecilia as a great role model and for her community involvement and leadership qualities.

Cecilia was awarded the Young Person of the Year and Outstanding Female Achiever at the 2011 National Youth Week Awards, she received the Lions Club of Stanthorpe 2011 Community Service Award, the 2011 Lions District Governor’s Excellence Award and was 2010 Lions Youth of the Year district winner.

The most recent scholastic and academic awards are sure to place Cecilia into a future career. At her St Joseph’s School, in 2011 she was awarded the Academic Distinction Award, Fr Valente All-Rounder Award and the Zonta Pursuit of Excellence in Studies Award. In leadership, Cecilia was School Captain, Special Minister, Musician and Reader, awarded the ADF Long Tan Leadership Award, Pierre de Coubertin Award and the Principal’s Award for Leadership. She also found time to excel at football and in 2011 she received the International Club’s Ladies Player of the Year for 2011. She was also nominated for Football Stanthorpe’s highest award, the Player of the year for Ladies.

Cecilia is aiming for university studies in the field of veterinary science after which her dream is to return to Stanthorpe as a rural vet.

Australia Day Cultural Award - Natalee McCosker

The Australia Day Cultural Award for 2012 is Natalee McCosker.

Natalee has been nominated for this award in recognition of her excellent achievements in the field of music which has resulted in 20 continuous years of volunteer services to many community events.

From a young age Natalee studied music and quickly became a gifted and talented pianist. Her musical skills were very much in demand and she became a wonderful volunteer in the community supporting many events and organisations. Her main support has been to the Granite Belt Choir, Stanthorpe Little Theatre, Carols in the Park, Granite Belt Junior Choir, Church, Regional Schools at the Stanthorpe Eisteddfod and a host of charitable events held throughout the community.


Australia Day Junior Cultural Award - Jacalyn (Jackie) Dunn

The Australia Day Junior Cultural Award for 2012 is Jackie Dunn.

Jackie has been nominated for her contribution to Music. As a committed musician, she has studied to receive outstanding results at Australian Music Examination Board Grade 6 level and has worked through the Suzuki Music programme to reach Level 7 qualification.

The community has benefitted from Jackie’s music skills and she has appeared in numerous concerts at the Stanthorpe Art Gallery and Carramar, performed with the Granite Belt Junior choir, appeared in public performanceswith the High School concert Band and High School, Choir, organist for the Severnlea Uniting Church and has appeared in 6 individual disciplines at the Stanthorpe Eisteddfod since she was I years of age.

Jackie completed Year 12 in 2011 and she will undertake tertiary studies in Toowoomba after winning a nursing scholarship to University of Southern Queensland.

Australia Day Sports Award - Jason Wilmot

The Australia Day Sports Award for 2012 goes to Jason Wilmot.

Jason has been an all-rounder in sport for many years and decided to change to Rugby League in recent years after a long-term involvement with football (soccer). He has been nominated for this award for not only being a skilled player of sport but being a strong committee member of sporting organisations and for his voluntary involvement in improvements to many of the facilities at the Stanthorpe Sporting Complex.

The switch to Rugby League has been rewarding for Jason and he has been awarded the Border Rugby League Player of the Year and the Highest Points Scorer. At club level with the Stanthorpe Rugby League he was made Golden Gremlin and Best Back.

Jason’s skills are being retained within the Southern Downs region. In an effort to progress to the next level of state league he is transferring to Warwick Cowboys in 2012 where he is expected to perform equally as good as he did in the local league.


Australia Day Junior Sports Award - Kate Beecham

The Australia Day Junior Sports Award for 2012 goes to Kate Beecham.

Kate has excelled at her chosen sport of football (soccer) which she only began playing in Year Eight with Ballandean in the club competition. It is with Ballandean that she has received the most local recognition and she became the club’s Player’s Player followed by receiving the Sporting Achievement Award at Stanthorpe High.

With an aim to do the very best in football, Kate has trained and played in the Rebel South West Junior Premier League and she was voted Players Player for 2011. She was also a member of the Darling Downs representative team for football (soccer) where she travelled to Cairns to compete with that side.

She was then selected for the Darling Downs U/15 representative team and in Futsal where she represented Queensland to compete in the national indoor competition for U/15’s in Canberra and was awarded Queensland’s Most Valuable Player Award. It is here she received a signed jersey from Claire Polkinghorne (captain Women’s Roar and Matilda Player) that read “Hope to see you in one of these jerseys in the future.”


Moving to the Under 16 age group in 2012 has not slowed Kate. To continue in her quest to perform well in sport, she has successfully trialled and was accepted into the South West Junior Premier League for U/16’s and the most rewarding achievement for her is being accepted into Harristown High School’s Football Academy for 2012.

Australia Day Sports Administration Award - Peter Nimmo

The Australia Day Sports Administration Award for 2012 goes to Peter Nimmo.

Peter has been associated for more than two decades with sports administration, providing many behind the scenes support and assistance. Volunteerism is a key word that best describes Peter and while a number of codes have received the support of Peter, cricket is the sport that has been fortunate to have the most of Peter’s involvement.

Peter has held a committee position for most of the last two decades and both senior and junior divisions have benefited from his support. Additionally, he has served for a great number of years as Secretary/Treasurer of the Stanthorpe Sports Association.

Most of the cricket scores and stories that appear in the media come from the hand of Peter and there would not be a senior or junior cricketer who does not know the name of Peter Nimmo as he has been a long-time cricket official, umpiring at Junior and Senior competition matches.


Australia Day Community Event of the Year - Walk for Daniel Day

The Australia Day Community Event of the Year for 2012 is awarded to the Walk for Daniel Day.

The Walk for Daniel Day saw the Stanthorpe community generously support a nationally coordinated event held by the Daniel Morecombe Foundation. Stanthorpe volunteers Fiona Kelly, Joanne Fox, Natalie Raccanello and Karen Smith formed the Walk for Daniel Day group and on the day were astounded as 540 participants turned out for the walk and raised $3,300 for the Foundation.

The motivation to arrange local participation in this nationally coordinated event is that each of the volunteer organisers are mothers and they believe there is a need to raise awareness with children and families about personal safety and abduction.

Inspired by the huge turnout and support for the 2011 Walk for Daniel Day, the organising team have promised to do it all again in 2012.


ENDS
Media Contact: Janine Crawford, Corporate Communications, 07 4661 0305