Please note: this is an archived news article release

This article was published on Thursday, 26 January, 2017. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Australia Day Award Winners announced

Posted on Thursday 26th of January, 2017,

The winners of the 2017 Australia Day awards were announced at ceremonies across Greater Shepparton today.

Carl Walters was announced as the overall Greater Shepparton Citizen of the Year with Isabel Treacy being named as Greater Shepparton Young Citizen of the Year and Shepparton Running Festival winning Greater Shepparton Community Event of the Year.

Greater Shepparton Mayor Dinny Adem congratulated all award recipients.

“All award winners have made significant contributions to their communities and to Greater Shepparton,” Cr Adem said.

"It is fantastic to see people getting involved in organisations in their local communities and helping to make a difference and thank you to the people who took the time to submit a nomination to recognise their fellow citizens.”

Awards were presented in Arcadia, Shepparton, Dookie, Mooroopna, Murchison, Tatura and Toolamba and the Greater Shepparton Citizen, Young Citizen and Community Event of the Year were chosen from these regional winners.

Scroll down for full winner profiles.

Australia Day Award Winners

Arcadia

Citizen of the Year

Lisa Menhenett

Dookie

Young Citizen of the Year	Molly Freeman
Citizen of the Year	Tony Ludeman
Senior Citizen of the Year	Margaret Law
Community Event of the Year	Dookie Cosgrove Hospital Auxiliary for Dookie Open Gardens

Mooroopna

Citizen of the Year	Geoff Hill
Young Citizen of the Year	Courtney Goldberg

Murchison

Citizen of the Year	Warwick Gregory
Sports Award	Dean Smith

Tatura

Citizen of the Year	Carl Walters
Senior Citizen of the Year	Fay Alexander
Sports Award	Stephanie Gorrie
Business Award	Tatura Medical Centre
Community Event of the Year	Tatura Football Netball Club Christmas Day Community Lunch

Toolamba

Citizen of the Year	Keira Birchmore
Community Event of the Year	Toolamba Australia Day Bush Bowls event

Shepparton

Citizen of the Year	Ian Bull
Young Citizen of the Year	Isabel Treacy
Senior Citizen of the Year	David Baker
Sports Award	Dennis Myers
Community Event of the Year	Shepparton Running Festival

Winner profiles

Shepparton

Shepparton Young Citizen of the Year - Isabel Treacy

Isabel is a passionate young member of her community who continually strives to make her local town a better and safer place for people of all ages. She is motivating and a good role model for people her age and regularly engages with older people in the community through her various volunteering activities.

Isabel enjoys the planning and running of events for which she volunteers to work through Word and Mouth. During these events, she also volunteers at the stall for Headspace Shepparton.

Shepparton Citizen of the Year - Ian Bull

Ian is greatly respected in the community, through his previous role with Victoria Police and his work with community organisations including the GV football Umpires Association, Shepparton Golf Club and GV Hospice.

Shepparton Senior Citizen of the Year - David Baker

David coordinates a men’s group ‘Codgers Capers’ and has been involved with Christmas for Those Alone. David inspires the ‘Codgers Capers’ group members to try different activities and helps them build their skills in a range of areas. David has also acted as a mentor for at risk men.

Shepparton Sports Award - Dennis Myers

Dennis won two speedway racing national championships as well as six Victorian state championships and one NSW state championship. Dennis has been instrumental in promoting his chosen class of motor sport and has acted as an extremely respected ambassador for his two Motor Sports Clubs, the Victorian Grand Prix Midgets Association and the Goulburn Valley Auto Club. By way of acting as both a role-model and mentor to younger drivers, he has recruited many youngsters to a sport in which their entire families ultimately become involved.

Community Event of the year - Shepparton Running Festival

The Shepparton Running Festival (hosted by the Shepparton Runners Club) started over 20 years ago and has grown to become one of the premier running events in regional Victoria. This year there were over 800 entrants across the marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km and the kids 2km events, and in excess of 1500 spectators. There is an event for all capabilities.

The event is a community event which attracts competitors from across the country and internationally. The marathon, half marathon and 10km races are IAAF AIMS certified and accredited which means runners wanting to qualify for National or International events can qualify at this event. The event is also a proud supporter of the Leukaemia Foundation and Breast Cancer Research. The 5km run is called the Pink Ribbon Run of which half the proceeds of the run are donated to the Pink Ribbon foundation.

Tatura

Tatura Citizen of the Year - Carl Walters

In the community, Carl gets involved and provides practical thinking and solutions. Carl is a ‘doer’ not a pretender, He is genuinely interested is building Tatura and its community. Carl has exceptional communication skills and an excellent understanding of the local Tatura community’s needs. Carl advocates on its behalf at all times. Carl is a member of the steering group formed to develop the local Community Plan, which was endorsed by Greater Shepparton City Council back in 2010 and has continued as Chairperson since that time.

His involvement with many community organisations in and around Tatura provides a wealth of knowledge and networks to support the work of the Community Plan Committee. Carl is also a member of the Tatura Football Netball Club Board, Tatura Park Advisory Committee, Tatura Walks and Rides Committee and the Tatura Hospital and Parkville Aged Care Advisory Committee

Tatura Senior Citizen of the Year - Fay Alexander

Faye assists with fundraising and catering for a range of events and activities including relay for life and the Tatura Senior Citizens extension.

She has also given her time to doorknock for the Red Cross over many years. Fay has also been a member of the CWA for more than 30 years.

Tatura Sports Award - Stephanie Gorrie

Stephanie trains hard and strives to play at the highest level possible. Being selected to play in the Elite Victorian Netball League has meant 2 to 3 trips to Melbourne each week for training and playing and then further lone training sessions in Tatura each week - Stephanie is often seen training alone at the Tatura Netball Association courts. Despite this hard work she still finds the energy to support the Friday night Tatura juniors, as well as her senior club and enjoys seeing her chosen sport provide opportunity for all players.

Although still young, Stephanie understands the importance of hard work to individually thrive and as a netball community to prosper.

Tatura Community Event of the Year - Tatura Football Netball Club Christmas Day Community Lunch

The inaugural TFNC Free Christmas Day Community Lunch began in 2015. A three-course roast meal along with drinks was provided to about 80 people.

Volunteers from the TFNC willingly gave up their Christmas Day to help serve, entertain, clean and provide company to those in attendance.

Volunteers serviced the entire event. The event was made possible by the financial contributions of the TFNC along with corporate and private donations.

Murchison

Murchison Citizen of the Year - Warwick Gregory

Warwick has lived in Murchison his whole life and has been involved with a number of local organisations including Fire Brigade, RSL, Historical Society, Recreation Reserve, Primary School and the local football, cricket and golf clubs. Warwick is also a life member of the Murchison Football Netball Club and the Murchison Cricket Club and received recognition for his 25 years of service to the Murchison Fire Brigade.

Murchison Sports Award - Dean Smith

Dean has excelled at Australian Rules Football and has been selected in a number of Victorian representative sides. Dean played his first game of senior football at 15. Dean also won the best and fairest award for the Mooroopna Seniors Football Club in 2016.

Dookie

Dookie Citizen of the Year - Tony Ludeman

Tony attends all working bees in town and was instrumental in the Dookie Community Centre redevelopment and the relocation of the Dookie Tennis Club.

He is also the current treasurer of the Dookie Recreation Reserve Committee, a member of Dookie Landcare and has been a member of the CFA since 1984.

Dookie Young Citizen of the Year - Molly Freeman

Molly has coordinated fundraising activities for a number of charities including The Cancer Council where she raised more than $1500.

Molly has always been very supportive of the fundraising being organised towards the Dookie Youth SPOT, which is being developed between the CWA Park and the CFA Fire Shed. Molly has also been involved in the Dookie United Football Netball Club.

Dookie Senior Citizen of the Year - Margaret Law

Margaret Law has been an outstanding community member of Dookie. Margaret has worked tirelessly for many organisations since, always being generous with her time and a reliable contributor to whenever an organisation required. She has held many positions of responsibility within these organisations which were wide and varied. She is a quiet worker who has kept on giving over these 62 years of community involvement.

Margaret has been an inaugural member of several organisations which demonstrates her willingness to be available and become involved in organisations which were a need for the benefit of the community. She has very good people skills, always willing to co-operate with others, extremely reliable for tasks to be undertaken and completed, and never expects any accolades or recognition for her efforts which is why perhaps over the many years, her good will and wonderful contribution to this community may have gone unnoticed at times.

Dookie Community Event of the Year - Dookie Cosgrove Hospital Auxiliary for Dookie Open Gardens

In its third year, this even raised almost $13,000 for the Dookie/Cosgrove Hospital Auxiliary. The event brings many people into town which has a positive flow-on impact for local businesses.

Arcadia

Arcadia Citizen of the Year - Lisa Menhenet

Lisa has been involved with a number of local community organisations and events including the Arcadia Progress Association, the Arcadia Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and has driven the development of the Arcadia Community Plan.

Lisa has also coordinated community Christmas parties, Australia Day events and applied for grants to upgrade facilities at the Recreation Reserve.

Mooroopna

Mooroopna Citizen of the Year - Geoff Hill

Geoff has been involved in many organisations for many years. He is currently treasurer of the Mooroopna Historical Society and has been instrumental in fundraising efforts for the society. He was also previously involved as captain of the Mooroopna Fire Brigade and Mooroopna Harness Racing Club.

Mooroopna Young Citizen of the Year - Courtney Goldberg

Courtney is involved in many community activities including the Mooroopna Fire Brigade, Good Friday Appeal and HeadSpace. In 2017, Courtney will be a year 12 school leader and house leader at Mooroopna Secondary College.

Toolamba

Toolamba Citizen of the Year - Keira Birchmore

Keira is an outstanding community member, not only being part of most of the community organisations in the township, but taking an active role in each organisation.

Keira is a committee member of the Murchison Toolamba Football Netball Club, the Toolamba Fishing Club, an active member of Toolamba school community and Toolamba Lions Club past secretary, current social media liaison expert.

Toolamba Community Event of the Year - Toolamba Australia Day Bush Bowls event

Since the inception of the Toolamba Australia Day Bush Bowls event it has grown in popularity and brings together many people from the local community.