Australia Day Awards Ceremony

Hundreds attended the 2012 Armidale Australia Day celebrations, including the local Awards Ceremony. This was the first time that the festivities and formalities have been held at the Armidale Showground. While Australia Day was a wash out in many centres, Armidale only endured mist, yet the Showground pavilion was the setting for the citizenship and awards ceremony.
Armidale’s Australia Day Ambassador was former champion boxer, Rick Timperi, who competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games in the Light-Heavyweight division.
He commended all of the awardees for the community contributions and humility. “Everyone who got up to accept an award said that they had not done it alone,” he said.
Activities included The Amazing Danton Magic Show, Beppo the Clown, a tractor pull, the Armidale Pipe and City Bands, tug-of-war, TS Armidale Navy Cadets, entertainment by the Jug Addicts, kids games, jumping castles, merry-go-rounds, a paratrooper, pony rides, a dunking machine and face painting in the Kids Corner.
Displays showcased Saumarez Homestead, Fellowship of the first fleeter, the Armidale Family History Group, Armidale Spinners and Weavers, Classic and Specialist Car Club, New England Antique Machinery, the Civic Precinct Committee, Girl Guides, New England Weeds Authority, Armidale Dog Training Club and the New England Model Aeroplane Club.

Story: Gary Fry

Armidale Dumaresq Citizen of the Year
Bernie Shakeshaft

• Bernie Shakeshaft has developed an outstanding program called BackTrack which is designed to offer pathways for youth through mentoring, training and education.
• Bernie finds troubled boys and girls and works with them to improve their lives and help get them back on track. Bernie takes the time to listen to their problems and also provides them with the opportunity to gain skills in the workplace.
• Along with BackTrack Bernie has developed Ironman welders, from the disadvantaged youths. One project completed last year included heading out to the flood damaged properties and repairing thousands of kilometres of fencing to help the locals get back on their feet.
• Bernie also developed the Paws up program which started by giving a group of his boys a puppy each. Each boy became the sole carer for these puppies and before long the boys and the puppies had an inseparable bond and began teaching the dogs tricks. They now head around the country to compete in Dog Jumping titles.
• The success of BackTrack comes from the support, strength and character of the youth leaders, Bernie Shakeshaft and the outstanding dedication of his staff and volunteers.

Armidale Dumaresq Young Citizen of the Year
Peter Cameron

• Peter works for St John’s Ambulance Service – Armidale Division as officer in charge.
• Peter provides the highest level of service at many community events around Armidale and throughout NSW.
• Peter demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills with his fellow volunteers, providing professional advice relating to first-aid management and possible issues that may arise during an event.
• Peter organises fortnightly training sessions and regularly sends his volunteers to training courses around NSW, making sure their skills are always up to date.
• He makes sure his division is well stocked with the latest first aid gear and equipment and is always preparing applications for funding.

The Senior Citizen of the Year
Poh Woodland

• Poh is a well known long term resident of Armidale. Poh recently retired from Armidale Dumaresq Council where she worked tirelessly in her role as the public relations officer.
• Poh has organised the Armidale Australia Day Celebrations, Autumn Festival and Christmas turning on of the lights for many years.
• Not many people know the amount of time and effort that Poh puts into her work, often spending many hours overtime to ensure everything she does is to a high standard.

Armidale Dumaresq Community Services Award
Pam Menzies

• Pam is a tireless community service worker for the Armidale Community with a specific passion to engage and unite people from all walks of life.
• Pam does this principally via a bi-annual community pantomime and has been the driving force and producer of four such pantomimes over the last eight years. This year the successful show was Robin Hood – Lost in Tight.
• Over the last eight years these pantomimes have raised approximately $60,000 which has gone to support the Armidale Rural Referral Hospital.
• Pam goes out of her way to engage people with diverse roles and generally limited theatrical experience such as politicians, teachers, academics, GPs, police and other business community people.
• Over the last four productions, some 300 people have performed on stage or worked behind the scenes to make incredibly successful shows that are loved by the community.

Armidale Dumaresq Community Services for an Organisation
Computer Bank New England

• Computer Bank New England has been operating since 2002 and has some 70 volunteers in three centres throughout the New England areas.
• During the 2012-11 financial year these volunteers worked more than an amazing 9000 hours which was valued at some $180,000 plus dollars and saved over a hundred tons from going to land fill.

Sports Award for an Individual
Grant Uphill

• Grant has been on the Executive of the Armidale & District Junior Cricket Association for eight years, serving as president and/or Junior Convenor.
• Served as President and executive member of the Northern Tablelands Junior Cricket
• CSC, Armidale Representative & Northern Tablelands coach on many occasions.
• All of Grant’s children have moved into senior cricket so Grant has extended his involvement by gaining his umpires’ ticket and supporting East Cricket Club.

Sports Award for a Group or Organisation
Armidale District Cricket Association

• Armidale District Cricket Association over the past two years has organised and run a franchise based Twenty20 cricket competition on Friday nights under lights. This has proven to be a tremendous hit with the local community and has been a great innovation put together by the hard working committee.
• ADCA works hard to improve the local Cricket competition every year, by providing a friendly competition for all.
• ADCA also have been successful in running many large cricket events over the past years including the Australian Masters Cricket Tour, National Over 60’s cricket championships and many state and regional cricket events.

Sports and Recreation Award for Individual X 2
Dr Keith Fleming

• Keith has been a volunteer swimming coach for the Armidale Amateur Swimming Club for forty years.
• This involves coaching amateur swimmers five days a week at the Armidale Monkton Aquatic Centre and continues through the winter months three nights a week at the Armidale School.
• Keith donates his time to attend all the local school swimming carnivals and the PSSA events, he always assists his young athletes with their pre race day warm up and will stay throughout the day to help wherever possible.

Jim Tanner

• Jim has worked tirelessly for many years in all aspects of Rugby League in Armidale.
• Jim played in his younger years and went on to coach many successful junior sides.
• Jim has held many committee positions and is passionate about maintaining Rugby League Park in Armidale for the years to come.
• Jim always has the Club’s best interest at heart and helps out in any way he can, whether it be junior or senior, Jim will always put his hand up to help out.

Contribution to Sports and Recreation Award for a Group or Organisation
TAS Rugby Carnival
Jason Lincoln (Carnival Organiser)
Karen Hutton (Administration Officer)
Steve Robinson (Residential Co-Ordinator)
Jamie Moore (Assistant Organiser)
Austin Rummery (Head Carnival Referee)

• The team behind the TASRC are all very committed to the success of the Carnival. The Carnival began in 2005 with 16 teams and has grown to a capacity of 48 teams in 2012.
• Each year in autumn the Armidale School host the Rugby Carnival attracting over 900 players aged between 11 and 12.
• The carnival is highly recommended with many teams coming from NSW, ACT and Queensland and because the carnival can only support 48 teams it often has a waiting list.

The Cultural Award for an Organisation
St Mary’s Revue

• The St Mary’s review is held annually to raise money for the local catholic school, it provides the local community the opportunity to watch a performance with their friends or family and creates partnerships between the school and the community on a variety of levels.
• The whole cast and crew of the St Mary’s Review are volunteers and some have volunteered their time for a number of years.
• The St Mary’s revue continues to be an important and community supported event on the local Armidale Calendar.

Contribution to Cultural Activities by an Individual
Barbara Albury

• Barbara, whose background is in professional theatre, together with her team of helpers have established the Saturday Magic Theatre Troup.
• Over a course of several months the troupe chose or compose scenarios and scripts and rehearsed these for an end-of-year performance in the Michael Hoskins Theatre.
• People with intellectual disability, through their association with the troupe, discover new abilities and proudly demonstrate them to the community.
• All of Barbara’s work is volunteered, but it is her drive and generosity in giving her time and professional talents that make the group a major success.

Contribution to Cultural Activities by a Group or Organisation

The Board of Custodians of the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place

• The Board consists of five members, Elva Taylor, Margaret Walford, Fay Griffiths, Lorna Hague and Brian Irving.
• The ACCKP Board of Custodians is a very forward looking progressive Board. The Custodians are all leaders in their own right and have traits necessary for building a strong and effective non-profit community based organisation.
• The ACCKP continues to provide leadership and has become a strong and formidable organisation for not only the Aboriginal Community, but for the whole city of Armidale.

Community Event of the Year

Hadley’s Ride for Sick Kids

• Every two years, a group of 26 riders battle to ride 535kms from Armidale to Newcastle over five days to raise money to support Ronald McDonald house in Newcastle and Tamworth, assisted with the establishment of a family room at Gosford Hospital and help to improve the holiday retreat at Forster.
• This is all done so the sick kids and their families can stay together.

Mayor’s Special Award for an Individual

Susie Dunn

• Susie is a very hard working volunteer in the Armidale Community. Susie was instrumental in organising the Judith Wright memorial which is now a beautiful garden situated in Civic Park and enjoyed by the whole community
• Susie organised and designed the NERAM Art bill board which helps promote the New England Regional Art Museum to people passing through Armidale. Susie works tirelessly with improving Aboriginal Rights around Australia.
• She is dedicated to making Armidale Beautiful and linking the city and the University. Susie recently resigned from the Armidale Tourism Committee where she was a valuable committee member and is also on the Armidale Dumaresq Council Arts Advisory Panel. Susie has the ability to get things done, even if she has to do it all herself.

Mayor’s Special Award for a Group or Organisation

The Armidale Community Christmas Day Lunch Committee

• Every year on Christmas day, the Armidale Community Christmas Day Lunch Committee hold a free lunch in the Uniting Church Hall. The Lunch is organised by members of the Armidale Uniting Church and volunteers from the general public who pledge their support
• The first lunch was held in 1981 and 36 guests attended, this event has run every year since with the guest list increasing to around 400. Not only does the Uniting Church put on the lunch, but they also arrange transport for those who need it and deliver a complete lunch to the homes of the ill or frail.
• The many volunteers spend their Christmas Eve preparing for the lunch with over 60 volunteers helping out.