Yorke Peninsula Council invites the community to come together to reflect, respect and celebrate Australia Day in 2024.

Council’s Australia Day Celebration event will be held at the Maitland Town Hall from 2pm starting with a Citizenship Ceremony followed by the presentation of the Australia Day Awards.

“Nominees for this year’s Yorke Peninsula Council Australia Day Awards have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to their community,” Mayor Darren Braund said.

“All the nominees should be proud of their efforts and Council thanks them for making a difference in their communities.”

At the conclusion of the award presentations, a free afternoon tea will be supplied.

 

Award for Active Citizenship

 

Minlaton and District Community and Sports Club

Minlaton sporting clubs and supporters combined to create a new community sporting and recreational facility at the town oval. Years of fundraising and thousands of volunteer hours culminated with the opening of the clubrooms in 2023. The club has become the home base for football, cricket and hockey. It is also used by tennis and netball clubs with associated courts to be developed in the future. The project has fostered cooperation between community and sporting groups through active fundraising and working bees. The modern facility has become a source of community pride.

 

Community Event of the Year

 

Ardrossan 150th Anniversary Celebrations Organising Committee

Ardrossan celebrated 150 years since the township’s proclamation in October last year. A volunteer committee organised a weekend of celebrations for the whole community to enjoy. Celebrations began with a gala dinner attended by 170 and family movie night attended by about 100 people. A street parade and town fair attracted an estimated 2000 people. A concert was also held at the Ardrossan Town Oval. The weekend-long event concluded with an ecumenical church service, morning tea with floral display and a family picnic on the clifftop.

 

A Twilight Rhythm and Blues

For the past two years the Twilight Rhythm and Blues event has given the community the opportunity to enjoy local musicians. It enables the community to come together and gives visitors to the area a chance to experience Edithburgh. The event was born through the A Day at the Burgh event. Organisers based the event on the mission statement to enhance the local community spirit and introduce others to a positive experience when visiting Edithburgh and surrounding areas. The event attracted more than 1000 people. Local food/catering businesses also form part of the event.

 

YP Classic Vintage Tractor Pull Club

The free family event focused on a wide variety of community members aims to empower people and businesses to collaborate. The winter event is aimed at boosting regional economic development and stimulus for local food and market stallholders. The event created an opportunity for local musicians/talents to play. The event was inclusive and included local boutique community groups. Free children’s activities were also included – a donation of local sand from a Price quarry created a huge sandpit for children.

 

Young Citizen of the Year

 

Molly Flanagan

In her short time living on Yorke Peninsula, Molly has contributed in many ways to St Columba’s Memorial School, wider community and as a creative arts therapist based part time at the SYP Community Centre. Molly’s most recent project was to facilitate a program called The Lullaby Project. She gathered and inspired local musicians to work with parents and carers of preschoolers to write songs about their life on Yorke Peninsula. People from all over the peninsula were involved to create more than 20 lullabies, inspiring families who before didn’t feel they could be creative while also providing local artists a rare opportunity to collaborate. This culminated in a concert with over 100 in attendance.

 

Natalie Judd

Natalie has always had a drive for the community, she’s a mother of three children under six, she’s the manager of the Minlaton Business Group, owner of JDF Seafood and contributor to her children’s school/kindergarten. She is a fantastic advocate for Minlaton.

 

Citizen of the Year

 

Pamela Groeneveld

Pam started futsal in Minlaton and has been running it for more than five years. She is treasurer and secretary for the Minlaton Hotel Social Club, treasurer for the SYP Dirt Circuit Club and helps out with many other things around the town to make it a better place. She is also a mother to three children. Pam would do anything to make the community better whether it’s looking after people’s children or helping with events around the town.

 

Perry Woodward

Perry has been a member of the Port Julia Progress Association for more than 12 years. He has held various positions during that time including secretary, vice president and president. He has been president for the last five years. Perry promotes Port Julia and enables various projects to be organised to benefit the community. He is always willing to assist homeowners and permanent residents, especially as some are quite elderly. He cuts the grass, poisons the weeds, repairs equipment and more.

 

Shirley Trevena

Shirley has been actively involved with the Minlaton National Trust and Museum, Minlaton History Group, Community Housing Board, Harry Butler 100th Committee, Harry Butler Book Committee, Minlaton Over 55s Committee, YPU3A Committee and Probus. Shirley has held positions of chairwoman, secretary, treasurer, roster organiser and historian at the National Trust and Museum. She is the secretary of the History Group and has been instrumental in obtaining grants. Shirley is instrumental in digitising local collections of photos and documents for the Museum and History Group.

 

Rikki Parkinson

Rikki has done a lot for Ardrossan through her roles on Progress Association including caravan park, playground, pump track, 150 celebration and golf club. Rikki is an active member of many committees and keeps people informed of activities and outcomes.

 

Ben Wundersitz

Ben was the founding member of a rural men’s health organisation he named Fat Farmers. Ben’s passion for rural health has given rise to the Fat Farmers rural health initiative that has been adopted across large areas of regional SA and has now crept over the border into Victoria.

 

Kellie Saint

Kellie was responsible for the creation of the Pepper Tree Markets in Minlaton which has been going for more than 10 years. She is on the committee of the SYP Show Society and has been part of Trees for Life for many years. Kellie is also a grower of indigenous trees for southern Yorke Peninsula and sells trees to lots of organisations and community members. She has been part of the revegetation of Gum Flat. Kellie is very knowledgeable about the environment and assist lots of people.