Australia Day award winners

HERVEY BAY

Citizen Of The Year: Lorelle Wilton
Lorelle knows how to pack of lot into life. Lol is born and bred in Hervey Bay, married and raised two children in the city.

She has been an active member of many committees that have worked to help others and develop the Bay into the vibrant city it is today.

While her children were at school Lol was either president or an active member of the auxiliaries and parents and citizens associations at the Urangan Point, Torquay and Hervey Bay High schools.

She is an 11-year veteran of the Hervey Bay SES serving as cadet and adult trainer.

Lol is now the unit Controller as well as a member of the Local Disaster Management group.

In her spare time she found time to start the Hervey Bay Softball Association and served as the association’s inaugural president, coach and player. She was also the first president of the city’s netball association and gave her time to coach children, adult and representative teams.

She has been awarded life membership of both organisations.

Lol has also served on the Hervey Bay Red Cross Committee

Junior Citizen Of The Year: Niel Van Der Westhuizen
At 18 years Niel is a talented multi instrumentalist and plays piano, violin, alto-saxophone and the tenor-saxophone.

Niel also has an outstanding academic background and received medallions at Fraser Coast Anglican College in 2010 and 2011.

Despite a very busy schedule with private afternoon music lessons, band practises at night and computer online training commitments Niel finished his final year in 2011 with an OP 1.

While not practicing his instruments Niel also competed in computer programming competitions nationally and internationally.

Niel's interest in music was sparked when as a five year old he started piano lessons. By the time he was six Niel was introduced to violin and at 10 he added the alto-saxophone.

He achieved outstanding results at the Maryborough Eisteddfod and was selected to join the Hervey Bay City Musicians Strings and Woodwind Ensembles and in 2009 he joined the group’s Big Band.

Niel has performed in numerous Anzac Parades, USQ graduation parades, Education week, Age Care Homes, Jazz festivals, Seafood festivals, Arts Council activities, Home and Garden Shows, Christmas performances and invitational performances in Gympie and Bundaberg.

He was a member of the Fraser Coast Anglican College Marching Jazz and Concert Bands and played in all the school musicals. Niel was also invited to take part in the Griffith's University Queensland State Honours Program at the Queensland Conservatorium.

As a computer programmer he has also shined.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011 Niel received Silver and Gold medals at the Australian Informatics Olympiad, attended the Australian International Olympiad Summer School of Excellence and in 2011 was selected to the Australian International Olympiad in Informatics.

He was also selected for the Australian team which competed in India in 2010. Niel was also the top Australian competitor in the French-Australian Regional Informatics Olympiad and ranked 4th in the world.

Niel has been accepted into a Computer Science in Engineering degree.

Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Jarrod Fletcher
It is a long way from boxing in a former caravan park amenities block at Dayman Park in Hervey Bay to the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

Yet Jarrod Fletcher has shown that dreams can come true if you have the dedication, talent and are prepared to put in the hard work.

Jarrod has all three. He has spent more hours than he probably cares to remember in the gym honing his mind, body and boxing skills.

Jarrod’s achievements in the top level include representing Australia at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in England and winning gold on his home ground in front of his family at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and fighting at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

He also has a Gold Medal from the 2003 Commonwealth Championships.

In his professional career Jarrod has known victory and disappointment as he injured his shoulder and had to fight his way back to the top.

He is now preparing for a shot at taking the Australian middleweight champion
crown in February.

Fletcher has won all 10 of his professional bouts, including seven by knock out.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Jesse Wright
Jesse Wight has represented Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast as a martial arts athlete and sportsman at Queensland, national and international events.

Jesse also gives his time to encourage, mentor and train others in his chosen sport at the Hervey Bay Combined Martial Arts Club. He is a volunteer instructor for junior students.

Away from the sports arena Jesse is a regular blood and plasma donor for the Australian Red Cross Blood Bank.

In his chosen sport Jesse won at the Australian Martial Arts Championships in Queensland, took the state title for points sparing and won the Martial Arts Championship Australia title for free-style sparring.

Jesse won the International Sports Karate Association 2011 World Title for Adult Intermediate Full Contact Koshiki Karate.

He was selected as a member of the Australian Martial Arts team that will compete in Japan in 2012. He has also earned the chance to compete in the 2012 United States Martial Arts Open.

Senior Cultural Award: Z-Pac Theatre
The Z-PAC Theatre started in 1964 when a group of theatre lovers formed the Hervey Drama Circle.

In 1968 the group set up a theatre in a small renovated army hut in Newhaven Street and became The Hervey Bay Little Theatre which began producing full length plays.

Over the years there were many name changes and in 1994 the name changed to The Zephyr Street Performing Arts Community Theatre known as Z-PAC Theatre and they have a permanent base in Zephyr Street beside the Hervey Bay Historical Village and museum.

From humble beginnings the Z-PAC Theatre has grown to become a major player on the cultural horizon of the Fraser Coast providing a vast array of entertainment for the Fraser Coast Community.

The theatre caters for all ages and levels of ability and provides an artistic outlet not just for actors, but budding stage directors, set designers and stage hands.

The group operates an adult theatre group as well as three youth theatre groups.

The theatre, built with countless hours of volunteer support, is constantly being improved. At present that includes refurbishing the seating, new carpet, a total revamp of the dressing rooms, and many other unseen improvements which contribute to a comfortable and relaxed environment.

The theatre is also used by a variety of other groups such as the German Club which meets there once a fortnight and the Acoustics Club which showcases local talent.

Junior Cultural Award: Daniel Boulton
Fifteen year old Daniel Boulton has launched his musical career and is a regular performer at events staged by the Hervey Bay Council for the Arts.

He composes his own music and performances are uploaded to Youtube.

Daniel, a finger style guitarist, is a regular volunteer at community events across the Fraser Coast where he helps behind the scenes as well as performing.

He is also a member of the Urangan State High School band and was a featured artist on the school’s major production Unleashed.

In 2010 and 2011 Daniel won awards in the Hervey Bay’s Got Talent Quest, and was chosen to enter the World Championships of Performing Arts in Hollywood.

Daniel did not take up the offer to go to Hollywood. Instead he attend a Chet Atkins Conference in the home of Country Music, Nashville where he met and honed his guitar skills with musicians from across the world.

He is now sharing those skills with other Hervey Bay musicians.

Community Event: Queensland Junior State Touch Football Cup
This event brought 5,000 people to Hervey Bay for three days on the first weekend in July 2011. The benefit to the community was estimated at more than $4million, as well as showcasing some of the best touch football talent to local players.

It was estimated that 4,800 of those visitors required accommodation and virtually booked out the available rooms across the region.

Added to this was the spin off for restaurants, cafes and tourist facilities as well as the clubs which helped the association cater for the players and their families at the event each day.

The four sports associations based at the grounds in Tavistock Street came together to provide canteen facilities and support for the event.

While the Hervey Bay Touch Association was the host and organisers for the event, many volunteers, local suppliers, businesses and sporting organisations were called in to help with the event.

During the 12 months leading up many meetings were held to ensure the venues were ready, fields set up, parking available and roads were closed as necessary.

The Queensland Junior State Title is the biggest event for Touch Football in Queensland. It brings together families and players ranging in age from eight years to under 18.

The event in Hervey Bay was the biggest Junior State Cup in the 20 year history of the event catering for 160 teams.

The Queensland Touch Association was so impressed with the quality of the event the availability of 22 playing fields, available parking and the range of accommodation near by that it asked the Hervey Bay association to hold the event for the next two years.

MARYBOROUGH

Citizen Of The Year: Betty Lesley Cairns
At 82 when most are looking to put their feet up Betty Lesley Cairns is working hard for her adopted city.

Lesley came to Maryborough from Ararat in Victoria on Australia Day in 1957 with her husband, three-year-old daughter and five-year-old son. The family had bought a radio and electrical repair shops in Adelaide Street, now known as Bradshaws Electrical.

Lesley, a teacher, became heavily involved in the community. She taught religious education in all Maryborough primary schools, became involved in the swimming club and was president of the Central School Parents and Citizens Association.

She began her involvement with vulnerable families after attending a Train the Trainer seminar in personal safety organised by the Department of Families in 1989.

In February 1990 a personal Safety Playgroup was formed and Lesley represented the Anglican Parish of Maryborough on the organising committee.

She later became the co-ordinator of the group which reached out to children who did not attend preschool or childcare and would otherwise have no access to personal safety information.

Children with a range of problems have been helped by this outreach program run by volunteers. The Safety Playgroup covered all aspects of safety and operates out of the Council-owned Maryborough Toy Library, with the support of the Community Health, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and the Department of Family Services as well as Lions and Rotary clubs.

Lesley also saw that there was a need to provide the homeless and disadvantaged with food and started the Wednesday morning breakfast outreach at the St Paul Memorial Hall.

She remains the co-ordinator of this program and while the volunteers start work at 6am, she attends the hall the evening before to set up to make sure everything will run smoothly.

The popularity of the services was great and soon a Monday night soup kitchen was also started. Lesley, with help from Sister Rose Cavella, the Emmanuas Youth group and several youth organisations opened two centres to help the needy in 1993.

Lesley stepped down as co-ordinator of the service in 2006.

Lesley has been very involved in parish life and was the first woman to become a Liturgical Assistant in 1984, a position she still holds today.

Seeing the need to keep house-bound members of the parish involved was the spark that lead Lesley to set up Telelink. The service used teleconference facilities to link up to nine people at a time who are unable to leave their homes so they could chat and catch up on news about each other and the parish.

Lesley is still a part of the ministry at the Anglican parish of Maryborough and is very much admired as a role model by many younger parishioners.

Outside of the parish Lesley is involved in War Widows, Red Cross, Unndenno Kindergarten and the Maryborough Choral Society.

Junior Citizen Of The Year: Danielle Waterson
Danielle Waterson completed Year 12 at St Mary’s College last year. She was College Captain and president of the Student Representative Council.

She received an OP4 and was the recipient of the inaugural Principal’s Award as well as the ESA International Alpha Zeta Branch Award for Education and Service. 

As a member of the Student Leadership Team Danielle led and supported the college community by organising or assisting with many activities such as trivia nights, the Year 12 graduation dinner, house bbqs, Year 8 Orientation  and team building days, college discos with St Mary’s Primary School and assisted the Rotary Club of Maryborough Sunrise at the Maryborough show.

She has been a voice for students by leading the Student Representative Council and has represented the college at the Powerhouse of Leaders and a Leader’s Day workshop.

Danielle played the lead role in the college musical “Oscars”.

Outside of school Danielle is an active member of the Tinana Christian Church where she is pianist for the Worship Team, a Youth Leader and Sunday School teacher. She is a member of the Riverlife Ministries Australia where she is a senior leader in the Turbo Charged Children’s Program.

For the past 12 years Danielle travelled with her family on mission trips to Outback Queensland where she has created and performed in holiday musical programs.

Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Elva and Ray Alloway
For the past 50 years Elva and Ray Alloway have been synonymous with basketball in Maryborough.

They have served on the organising committee taking on positions as secretary, treasurer, organiser of the games draws, canteen convenor, coach and introduced the junior competition to Maryborough.

Ray has coached teams and players who have participated in Queensland, Australian and international competitions. He has also been asked to help other basket ball clubs across the Oceania region to improve the skills of coaches and administrators.

They can often be found at working bees and every day ensure the club’s facilities are in tip top order.

They are both Life Members of Maryborough Basketball and Ray is a Life Member of the Wide Bay and Queensland basketball associations.

While basket ball has been their main interest they have also been involved in junior cricket, rugby league and Scouting.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Kate Law
Fifteen year old Kate Law is already making her presence felt on the golfing greens. She is a very talented player.

When not playing Kate is hard at work helping younger players hone their skills or helping the organisers at golfing events.

In the past year Kate has played in the Wide Bay trials to select the team to contest the Queensland State Schools Championship in Townsville; won the girls division at the Bargara Junior Carnival; was the ladies and Junior champion at the Maryborough Golf Club.

Kate also played in the Maryborough Under 14 team at the State Age Netball Championships; winner and undefeated in the Wide Bay Burnett Junior Jug Team, won the Queensland under 14 state championship at the Bargara junior Classic.

In December she won the Under 14 Girls Championship at the Greg Norman Junior Masters and was selected to play in the Queensland Greg Norman Team.

She is now preparing to play in the Greg Norman/Jack Newton State of Origin to be played in Newcastle.

Senior Cultural Award: Audrey Reece
Audrey Reece, 83, has been a very active member of the Maryborough Art Society for about 20 years, serving on many committees.

As an artist she recognised the need for well-qualified art tutors to conduct workshops in Maryborough. In 2005 she set up the Winter Art Workshops which were run at the same time as the heritage City Art Exhibition.

She achieved this almost singlehanded; finding venues and artists to conduct the workshops as well as advertising to let artists know the workshops were to be conducted.

Audrey still has an active role in the operations of the workshops to ensure their continued success.

She is also an active member of the society’s other organising committees and is the president of the Bottlebrush Crafts in Maryborough.

Junior Cultural Award: Anna Parker
The former St Mary’s College student was the recipient of the 2011 Ryall Shield for Cultural Achievement and also awarded the ALP Brendan and Moira Hansen Bursary for Citizenship.

Anna has always been very willing to give her time and has been requested many times to sing at significant events such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Anna was a member of the St Mary’s College school choir and performed at ANZAC Day, senior citizens Christmas morning teas, Catholic Women’s St Patrick Day celebrations, closing and opening of masses and at the Queensland Catholic Schools Music Eisteddfods.

Last year Anna participated in the Quota and Lions Youth of the Year public speaking competitions and was recipient of the Best Public Speaker Award for her prepared and impromptu speeches.

She assisted younger students during lunch hours by conducting dance classes, and she choreographed a dance performance as part of the college Enrichment program.

Anna initiated a project with her Japanese class to compile an album of messages, photographs and prayers to be sent to the staff and students of the earthquake affected Sakura no Seibo college in Fukushima Japan. She travelled to Japan in December and presented a small donation.

Due to her commitment to Arts and Culture she was awarded a 2011 Order of Australia Award. She has also been recognised in 2011 through the Maryborough Youth Achievement Awards taking the Overall Young Achiever of the Year and Cultural Achievement of the Year.

Community Event: Wings Warbirds and Wheels
The event was designed to enhance the promotion of aviation, tourism and recreational activities in the Fraser Coast Region.

This was achieved by displays of aviation, classic vehicles and other recreation and sporting clubs at the event held at the Maryborough Aerodrome.

The organisation of Wings Warbirds and Wheels took 18 months to pull together.

After the inaugural event was staged the event was expanded to include classic cars and motorbike displays. The reaction from the public gave the organisers confidence to stage and expand the event in 2011.

This was the first event of this type organised by the Maryborough Aero Club and about 5,000 visitors attended during the two days. The club estimates that volunteers put more almost 2,000 man hours into organising and running the two-day event.

The event also raised about $3,000 each for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Angel Flight.

WOOCOO

Citizen Of The Year: Neville Barrett
Neville is the longest serving member of the Teebar Campdraft and Rodeo Association.

He was born and bred in the Woocoo district and his life has centred around his family, farm and volunteering for many community organisations and at many community events.

He is a stalwart of many events where he is relied on to set up the stage, canteens or build the portable yards at the annual Teebar Campdraft and Rodeo.

Neville has been an integral part of the Teebar Sports Club since he joined in the early 1980s.

He was one of the five locals elected to the Board of Trustees to oversee the maintenance of the Teebar Hall and grounds at the recreation reserve.

Neville was part of the committee, chaired by Cyril Gauld, that established a larger rodeo arena and rebuilt the campdraft and main rings at the grounds.

He spends many days working at the grounds before the annual event and on the day can be found in the rodeo yards working with the cattle, horses and competitors to ensure the smooth running of the event.

He has also been the organiser of weekly tennis nights since they began 25 years ago.

Junior Citizen Of The Year: Hamilton Rockemer
Hamilton Rockemer completed his Year 12 at the Riverside Christian College last year where he was school captain.

He completed his certificate two and three in Agricultural beef Production at Rural Industry Training Extension in Charters Towers as a school-based trainee.

Hamilton represented the College at the annual hoof and hook competition competing against schools from across the Wide Bay region and took a fourth place in the Young Handlers competition

A keen campdrafter he had success at the competitions he was able to attend last year including a third and fourth placing in the Juvenile section at the Biggenden Campdraft, a second in the Juvenile section at Widgee and first placing in the juvenile section at the Gayndah campdraft.

In 2011 he was presented with a second place in the South East Queensland Zone Juvenile rider for 2010 and was in the top 20 riders for Australia.

With his sister Emily, Hamilton entered a led steer in the Goomeri and Biggenden competitions and won first place at the Maryborough led steer competition. They also won the Dave and Bell Rockemer Memorial Trophy and champion led steer at the Tiaro Landcare Field Day competition.

At the Goomeri Show he placed third in the young handlers and won the Junior Judging for his age group.

When he is not helping his parents on their property he also helps the organisers at the annual Teebar Campdraft.

Keen to further his experience on the land Hamilton has started work with the Greenup family at Kumbia.

Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Malcolm Beresford
In 1980 as a 16 year old Malcolm Beresford joined the Teebar Sports Association committee.

Since then he has been elected as chairman and served continuously on the committee.

He is a man of vision and has adapted to the many challenges that have threatened the association’s viability.

Under his leadership the association became a sub committee of the Burnett Regional Show Society and rebranding as the Teebar Show and Sports Association.

In 2010 Teebar hosted the Burnett sub chamber judging finals of both stud and prime cattle, the first time since the inception of the association 100 years before.

Malcolm is a keen competitor and has been the driving force behind vast improvements which assured the associations continued existence.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Malcolm Rudolph
At 22 Malcolm Rudolph already has an international reputation as a champion cyclist.

He swapped his Speedos for bike pants six years ago and it did not take long for the former Queensland junior swimming champion to start making waves in cycling.

He won his first competitive title just a couple of months after joining the then Maryborough District Cycling Club and has not stopped.

Last year he won the annual 110km Tour De Guahan race by a staggering five minutes from his nearest rival.

Now as a professional cyclist he is in Europe as a member of the Australian Institute of Sport/Jayco Skins Racing Team.

He last competed on the Fraser Coast during the RACQ Technology Challenge Maryborough last year. 

Senior Cultural Award: Nancy Maule
Since coming to live at Aramara and run a carrying business with her husband Darryl, Nancy has become an integral part of the local community.

Nancy joined the Woocoo Historical Society at Brooweena and is the current secretary and publicity officer preparing the society’s quarterly bulletin after being the assistant bulletin editor helping out the late Monica Hodges.

Since becoming editor Nancy has brought her own style to the publication which records the local history through the reminiscences of our older generations,

Their memories have created a lot of interest and provide a valuable insight into the lives of our early settlers.

Junior Cultural Award: Sam Rogers
The Brooweena State School captain has participated in a number of school, local and national arts and cultural events.

In 2011 he was the winner of the Mary Poppins Literary Competition for Year 6 and 7 students.

Sam participated in the Broweena State School recorder Ensemble in the Maryborough Eisteddfod.

He had the lead role of Peter Pan in the schools musical and at the Teebar Show last year was awarded a third in the Photography and a first for a painting in the Year 6 and 7 section.

Community Event: Brooweena State School Concert
The Brooweena State School has produced a number of magical school concerts in the pasty five years which have been well supported by the community.

The students and staff have worked together to produce three productions: The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and a Christmas Peter Pan.

Each year the production has been very entertaining and a delight to watch.

The small group of staff, parents, volunteers and students work tirelessly for about four months on learning lines, building their characters, making props and sets to create the fantastical performances.

The students grow as actors each year and they also share their skills with other students.

The group devote a lot of their own time and expertise to organise and produce the amazing shows.

The productions just keep getting better.

TIARO

Citizen Of The Year: Kerrie Bartlett
It is the strength of the Glenwood Progress Association that helps it keep the growing community invigorated and one of the most active on the Fraser Coast.

As a member of the association Kerry Bartlett is in charge of keeping the community abreast of what is happening.

Kerrire is never one to shy away from helping and will go the extra mile every time to help someone out.

It is not unusual for her to be up past midnight preparing articles for the Glenwood News or to find her with her sleeves rolled up helping out on a progress association working bee or function.

Junior Citizen Of The Year: Jessica Stewart
In Year Six Jessica won a scholarship to attend Fairholme College in Toowoomba where she studied, until the later half of Year 9 when she had to leave school to have surgery on her leg.

Despite missing almost half of Year 10 Jessica received two meritorious awards for her academic ability.

As a Year 11 student at Aldridge State High School she became a school leader.

Jessica has been identified as a gifted student and has been invited to attend creative workshops through her school.

She is a mentor for disabled students at school and helps others to get to their classes.

In her spare time she helps the junior cricket club association with their sausage sizzle fundraising efforts.

Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Neil Boynton
Neil was the driving force behind the Bail Up Black Swamp Creek, an event that raises the profile of the region as much as the Tiaro and District Sports Club.

The event is a two-day single action shoot which attracted up to 70 participants last year.

The shoot, held annually, capitalises on the region’s history with bushrangers to promote the club’s annual shoot at their complex in Tiaro.

The Double Barrel Gun Club was a gang of bushrangers which actually terrorised the Tiaro district.

Neil helped secure funding, from the Fraser Coast Regional Council and businesses, to provide each participant with a promotion pack containing information on the region as well as the competition rules.

The aim was to increase the number of participants in the competition as well as encourage them to see more of the region and return on holidays.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Karla Blowers
Tiaro Pistol Club member Karla Blowers is a world record holder. The 25 year old won the open women’s title at the International Practical Shooting Confederation World Shoot in Greece in last year.

Blowers out shot 51 other shooters from across the globe to win the title by 18 points.

In doing so she became the first Australian to win the title in a sport that combines speed and accuracy.

Blowers who has been shooting since she was 11, currently holds the champion title in four states including Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.

Senior Cultural Award: Ann Chan
Ann is an active member of the community, especially through the Tiaro Arts and Craft Group.

She is secretary of the Mount Bauple and District Historical Museum and a regular volunteer helping to organise displays at the museum.

As a member of the Regional Arts Development Fund, Ann uses her skills to help artists further their studies and groups stage training events that help increase the skill levels of Fraser Coast artists.

Her artistic abilities cover a range of media including spinning and weaving, pottery and working with glass.

Community Event: Munna Creek Country Music Festival
The Munna Creek Country Music Festival signalled the end of a huge project – the restoration of the 105 year old Munna Creek Hall and associated sports facilities by a small band of volunteers.

The hall was completely rebuilt with new steps, a new kitchen and new awning. Not only were many of the materials donated but so was the manpower to carry out the repairs. The Fraser Coast Regional Council also provided grant funds to carry out the work.

Hundreds of volunteer hours went into the hall restoration on top of the hundreds of hours of volunteer time that went into organising the four-day country music festival which attracted headline performers from Tamworth and a huge crowd of more than 500 campers.