Councils across the Central Highlands recognised their most outstanding citizens in Australia Day awards ceremonies throughout the long weekend.
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Hepburn Shire
Citizen of the Year
Creswick's Philip Greenbank was named Citizen of the Year for his dedication to numerous community groups throughout the years, including the Creswick-Smeaton RSL, Creswick CFA, Creswick North Primary School Council and Australasian Guild of Town Criers.
Mr Greenbank has been the Creswick-Smeaton RSL Keeper of the Field of Crosses since 2012 and was successful in obtaining grants for four honour board restorations, including the large marble honour board in the Creswick Town Hall.
He has also been a CFA volunteer for 30 years, running junior brigades and Fire Safe Kids programs where he is affectionately known as 'Fireman Phil', is the current Creswick North Primary School Council president, and president of the Australasian Guild of Town Criers.
Mr Greenbank thanked Hepburn Shire Council for the honour, which he said was a 'wonderful birthday present'.
"I have and still continue to enjoy the involvement that I have with the organisations and clubs that I'm involved with," he said.
"If you join and organisation and love it, be a part of it. If you don't, you'll lose it.
"When I was first asked to join the RSL to take on the role as Keeper of the Field of Crosses, that year I joined over 200 RSLs across Australia and because of that, I offered the RSL to develop a website to keep our RSL alive and I continue to do that.
"The CFA has been part of the community and I think you'll find in most country towns with a CFA, almost everybody in that town will be part of it because it's the way you get to know your town and the way you protect it."
Young Citizen of the Year
Clunes teenager Matilda Hill was recognised for her volunteerism and community involvement throughout Clunes.
After spending much of her childhood assisting family at the Clunes Agricultural Show, Matilda is currently a junior steward in the arts and cut flowers sections. She also volunteers at the Clunes RSL where she is part of several fundraising activities.
In 2010, Matilda led a cake-baking project to support flood-affected Clunes residents and in 2018, she started raising money for motor neurone disease through the Clunes Football Netball Club's The Big Freeze event.
Matilda is also an accomplished sportsperson, representing Clunes Primary School and Ballarat High School in state cross country, athletics and swimming competition as well as the Clunes Football Netball Club in interleague netball, where she also coaches under-13 netballers.
Community Event of the Year
In a year when many public gatherings were made impossible, the Daylesford and District Horticultural Society's webinar series was awarded event of the year.
In a revolutionary change for the oldest continuously running horticultural society in Victoria, the webinar series was first held in July and quickly attracted non-members from outside Daylesford including Ballarat and Melbourne.
Daylesford and District Horticultural Society president Selena Smith said the webinar was a foreign world to some members.
"We want to thank the community bank because they enabled us to have the Zoom technology, educated us and taught us, and all the community who worked really hard all year to make sure each event was successful," she said.
"To all our members, thank you so much for going on the journey with us and staying on the journey with us. If there were little glitches, nobody got stressed, we just went with the flow and we didn't want to let down all the people that came before us and kept this wonderful society of garden and horticulture lovers going through more than 100 years."
Golden Plains Shire
Citizen of the Year
Brad McKenzie, of Bannockburn, was named the Golden Plains' Citizen of the Year in recognition of his volunteer work with mental health charity the Black Dog Institute as a fundraiser and public speaker.
In 2015, Mr McKenzie raised more than $13,000 walking from Mildura to Bannockburn and has since travelled around the country raising awareness about mental health.
He also completed a fundraising walk at the Great Wall of China in 2019 and was an ambassador for the Black Dog Institute's One Foot Forward campaign which raised more than $6 million in 2020.
Mr McKenzie said his initial walk was inspired by his daughter Eliza asking how long it would take to walk from Mildura to Bannockburn while on holiday one Christmas.
"We reached a lot of people over those next two weeks and I remember walking back into Bannockburn at about 3.20pm on Friday, October 22, 2015. We sat down at the pub, Eliza sat next to me and I got to tell her, 'Eliza, it takes 13 days to walk from Mildura to Bannockburn'," he said.
"Since then, I've worked a lot more closely with Black Dog Institute, they send me all over Australia talking to schools, community groups, men's sheds, anyone who will listen.
"We talk about mental health to encourage people to talk more openly, seek support, not live in shame and try to move on and better themselves and keep open and honest and just live a long, happy, mentally healthy life."
Young Citizen of the Year
Smythes Creek's Sophie Busuttil was named Young Citizen of the Year for her charitable work across several causes.
Sophie donated her hair to Sustainable Salons, which distributes hair to charities to become wigs for people suffering from medically-induced hair loss conditions such as alopecia and cancer. She also raised more than $200 for Headspace Ballarat by creating and selling clay pins.
"Thank you to my parents and aunty for nominating me and to the Western Bulldogs Foundation program for inspiring me to create the social impact project which I did not think would come this far today," she said.
"Thank you, all. I'm truly honoured."
Senior Citizen of the Year
Inverleigh resident Damian Baker was recognised for his volunteer work at the public space north of the Leigh River, mowing and maintaining the space for almost 22 years after initiating the redevelopment of the space for recreation.
"I feel very honoured to be nominated for this award and feel tremendous at being awarded this for recognition of work done," he said.
"Recognition is not why you do it. I do it for people who come and enjoy the open space from all parts of Victoria and I hope that by doing the work that I do, they'll appreciate this wonderful shire."
Community Impact Award
The Smythesdale Cemetery Trust was awarded the Community Impact Award for its significant contribution to the Smythesdale community.
The trust serves the community by providing cemetery services and maintaining it in an operational condition, and assisting the community and visitors with genealogical research.
Secretary Rosemary Angus said the award recognised the work of all nine members of the trust.
"This is an award for the work they all put in all the time," she said.
"Sometimes at the drop of a hat when I call them and say I might need something done in two days, there are always volunteers to do it.
"That's why we're all here today, because we're volunteers and understand the importance of that in our community."
Pyrenees Shire
Citizen of the Year
Avoca resident Tom Elliott was named the Pyrenees Shire Citizen of the Year in recognition of his outstanding public services.
The awards were presented by Pyrenees Shire Mayor Damian Ferrari at council's Australia Day celebration in Trawalla on Tuesday.
"Tom Elliott's service to the Avoca community has been outstanding. From working as a teacher at the local primary school through the pandemic to his tireless volunteer efforts, he's an inspiration to us all," Cr Ferrari said.
Young Citizen of the Year
Beaufort wunderkind Frazer Carnes, 15, was named Young Citizen of the Year in recognition of his promising woodchopping career.
Last January, Frazer became the youngest winner of the $10,000 Eric Reece Memorial Thousands 300mm standing block handicap in Tasmania at just 14 years old.
"Frazer Carnes is a very talented young man and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for him," Cr Ferrari said.
Community Event of the Year
While Community Event of the Year normally recognises the efforts of a community group event, this year's award was given to the Landsborough and District News for the publication of its 150th issue late last year.
"The Landsborough and District News has been volunteer-run since 2002, and it's an increasingly important voice that helps support the local community," Cr Ferrari said.
The Beaufort Truck and Car Show, which is run by the Beaufort Football and Netball Club, was awarded a Certificate of Commendation.
Moorabool Shire
Citizen of the Year
Ballan resident Dave Nickels was named Moorabool Shire's Citizen of the Year for his service to the community during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the years prior.
Mr Nickels has been Ballan Chamber of Commerce vice-president since 2015 and a member since 2013. He has also donated bus transport numerous Moorabool organisations through his travel agency and even brought the world champion Mission San Jose High School Marching Band to Ballan.
After being forced to close his travel agency, Mr Nickels decided he would get on with it and help area's older residents by picking up and delivering medication, driving them to and from medical appointments and into town for banking and shopping, and delivering food and groceries.
Mr Nickels is also the chairman of the Moorabool Business Awards and has helped raise money for the Ballan Hospital, Ballan Pony Club, Ballan and District Preschool, Ballan Football Club, Ballan Scouts and Ballan CFA, among other organisations.
Young Citizen of the Year
Keeley's Cause founder Keeley Johnson was awarded Young Citizen of the Year for her efforts providing children with autism and intellectual disabilities with iPads to help at school.
In two years, Keeley, who was diagnosed with autism herself, has raised more than $70,000 and presented more than 100 iPads pre-loaded with tailored education plans to children with autism or an intellectual disability.
"I have lived in the shire for almost 17 years and I am truly honoured to receive this award and be recognised for the work I do with Keeley's Cause in supporting children with autism and other disabilities with iPads to assist with their educations, dream and future outcomes," she said.
Community Event of the Year
The Wombat Regional Arts Network's WinterKnits event in Ballan took home the Community Event of the Year award.
WinterKnits featured works of knitted art adorning Ballan from Stead Street to Cowie Street until the end of August.