Australia Day 2025

Please join us in celebrating the achievements of our wonderful community this Australia Day, 26 January 2025.

Official Program:

8am: Breakfast by Dungog Rotary Club

9am: Official Ceremony featuring:

Welcome by Mayor, Cr Digby Rayward

Performances by A Twist of Blue

Presentation of Australia Day Awards

Citizenship Ceremony

 

After the official ceremony, morning tea will be provided.

 

2025 Nominees: 

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD 

Trudy Balstad

Trudy has been nominated by at least five separate community based volunteer organisations namely Clarence Town and Glen William Public Schools P&C’s, Clarence Town Lions Club, Rural Aid Community Builders Program, Clarence Town Museum and Clarence Town Senior Citizens Centre. She is described as a one of a kind community member and volunteer. She is always willing to generously lend a helping hand to any local organisation in need.

David Garland

David has held many roles in the Dungog Shire including bus driver, school yards man, deputy captain of the fire brigade and teacher at Dungog High School. This nomination is focused on his current role of head teacher of the trade faculty at Dungog High School. The through put of apprentices/trainees under David’s tutelage is most impressive. His teaching and experience he demonstrates to the student body is of a very high caliber. Dungog is indeed fortunate to have a leader of this quality as an example within the trade training community.

Alexandra Kokas-Magnussan (Sandy)

Sandy is the manager of the Good Samaritan Donkey Sanctuary and Donkey Rescue Service. She has proven that she has the energy, dedication and strong belief in making a difference to discarded donkeys and provide them with loving care. Sandy ensures that each donkey receives the attention, veterinary care and training necessary for physical and emotional well-being.

YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD

James Ryan

James is an excellent youth ambassador for the Clarence Town Courthouse Museum. He loves all things historical especially local history and likes nothing more than to share his local knowledge with others. James is polite, caring, kind and respectful. He is the nominated tour guide when he’s available and (with the help of his volunteer colleague, Jack) competently organises visitors into manageable groups to maximise visitors' enjoyment. He attends Maitland Christian School.

Jack McBlane

Jack is also an excellent ambassador for Clarence Town Courthouse Museum. He also loves all things ‘historical’ especially ‘local history’. He likes to show visitors around the museum and to share his local knowledge with them. His enthusiasm is contagious. He very much enjoys researching items of interest to the museum on the internet. He is the ‘media guy’ at the museum and is regularly making useful suggestions and plan for their implementation.

ENVIRONMENTAL CITIZEN AWARD

Samantha Bean

Sam’s enthusiasm for environmental conservation has driven her to take on the role of President of Sustaining the Williams Valley Inc. a local community group affiliated with Hunter Region Landcare Network. Sam is a catalyst for bringing together like-minded volunteers to focus on controlling invasive weeds and maintaining vital green spaces in the local area. Sam also contributes significantly to sustainable living by volunteering at the Dungog Growers Markets every month. Sam’s vibrant and warm personality has a magnetic effect on those who meet her. Her passion for the outdoors, nature and wildlife is infectious and she readily facilitates the recruitment of new contributors to this vital cause.

Sheridan Thomas

Sheridan has played a significant role in fostering environmental sustainability and instilling eco-conscious values in the students under her tutelage through various innovative programs. She teaches students about using resources from the land, from growing their own vegetables to the ‘Paddock to Plate’ program, which includes the production of honey-based products for fundraising and has taught students about the vital importance of bees to our environment. Her lessons routinely create opportunities for students to learn about sustainability in hands-on impactful ways.

JUNIOR SPORTS AWARD

Matilda Beynon

Matilda is a student at Clarence Town Public School who actively participates in all aspects of school life. She has represented Clarence Town Public School at Port Stephens Zone events particularly in middle distance running competition. Matilda is also a regular track and field competitor at East Maitland little Athletics Club. She has achieved reserve champion in the NSW Pony Club Tetrathlon Championship held in February 2024. Matilda has shown persistence and tenacity throughout all her athletic and pony club efforts in the past twelve months.

Tamryn Matheson

Tamryn started on her journey of gymnastic competition in kinder gym when she was 3 years old. From the very first lesson she loved gymnastics and her passion and skill level continues to grow. Tamryn started competition at level 2 and quickly moved to level 3 where she competed in Hunter Valley events, winning several gold and silver overall medals. She competed in her first State Championships in 2022 coming home with overall gold. In 2023 she moved to level 4, with another successful competition year, coming 1^st overall in her division. In 2024 she moved to level 5 and has gone from strength to strength. This was the first year she was eligible to compete at the NSW Country Championships in Armidale and she won gold in her division at Level 5.

VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AWARD

 Allen Shrimpton

Allen is one of those rare ‘local treasures’ who totally involves himself in the wider community as a volunteer. The list of organisations of which he is a member and a leader includes Flat Tops Rural Fire Brigade, Dungog Common, Dungog Shire Community Centre, Dungog Common Land Care Inv. Dungog Pedalfest, Dungog Dash and Dawdle (now Run Dungog), Ride Dungog and many more. Allen is a significant contributor to the social, sporting, recreational and welfare fabric of Dungog Shire.

Brad Lean

Brad ran and organised the UCI Pump Track World Championship event which was staged on Dungog Common in August 2024. In the years leading up to this Brad has been a driving force behind the restoration and development of the mountain bike and walking tracks at the Common, securing government grants, working with local businesses and laying much of the ground work for the world class bike tracks we now enjoy. This has also provided a significant boost to Dungog Tourism for which Brad’s efforts have been a major factor.

Sarah Beynon

Sarah serves as Treasurer of the Dungog Pony Club where she plays an active role in planning and execution of club events. Sarah is also President of the Clarence Town Public School P&C Association where she has provided significant leadership. This was especially evident during the schools 175^th birthday celebrations in 2024 which has left a lasting impact highlighting the importance of education and community involvement.

Sacha Anderson

Sacha has been a member of the Clarence Town Public School P&C Association for the past two years. Sacha exemplifies the theme of service to her community through her willing participation in activities across the school community. As secretary, Sacha records all these activities and spreads the important messages to the wider school community. The festivities surrounding the recent 175^th Anniversary of the school will be spoken of around supper tables for years to come, in part due to Sacha’s excellent records. Her pride and energy in representing the school has been widely praised.

Alexandra Kokas-Magnussen (Sandy)

Sandy is the manager of the Good Samaritan Donkey Sanctuary and Donkey Rescue Service. Sandy has proven that she has the energy, dedication and strong belief in making a difference to discarded donkeys and providing them with loving care. She ensures that each donkey received the attention, veterinary care and training necessary for physical and emotional well-being.

Zoltan Lyall

Zoltan has made a significant contribution to the township of Paterson and its hinterland over many years. He currently holds the dual positions of President and Secretary of the Paterson Sportsground Reserve Management Committee, Secretary of Paterson Progress Association and more recently as a member of the Community Builders Program. He is also a regular volunteer at the Paterson Courthouse Museum and a prolific fund raiser for the Paterson PSST newsletter.

Chris O'Neill

Chris is the designated cook at Clarence Town Senior Citizens Association. He takes great care to meet each member’s dietary requirements and not only makes sure each meal is nutritious but tasty as well. He is a dedicated and caring person who gives freely of his time. Dungog Shire needs more ‘Chris O’Neills’.

Amy Martin

Amy is the Community Engagement Officer within the Dungog Unit of the State Emergency Service (SES). She has played a significant role in various emergency responses and has also developed and implemented several effective outreach programs. Amy has the respect and esteem of her fellow members in the Dungog Unit demonstrated by her appointment to the role of Community Engagement Officer within the unit. Her enthusiasm and commitment to emergency response and community support reflect her positive teamwork ethos and emerging leadership skills.

 

 

 

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