Australia Day Awards 2025 - nominate now

Do you know someone who has contributed to our community and deserves to be recognised?

Why not nominate them for an East Gippsland Australia Day Award?

These shire-wide awards recognise people who have dedicated their time to making a difference in their community.

Nominations are open now in the following categories:

• Citizen of the Year
• Young Citizen of the Year
• Community Event of the Year

We recognise that the strong identity and sense of community that we all enjoy, in whichever town we live, is in no small part due to the people volunteering their time for local clubs, groups, facilities or services.

Nominations for the Australia Day Awards close on Friday 6 December.

Award nominees will be invited to an event in January to be formally recognised.

Hardcopy nomination forms are also available at our Customer Service Centres.

Australia Day Awards - online nomination form

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Australia Day Awards 2024

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Approximately 100 people attended this year's East Gippsland Shire Council Australia Day Awards at Eagle Point Foreshore Hub on Saturday 20

The 2024 recipients are:

Citizen of the Year - David Murphy

Following a distinguished career as a safety officer on Victorian oil and gas rigs, David retired in 2012. Shortly thereafter, he underwent training as an RSL Compensation Advocate.

Since then, David has been dedicatedly serving veterans and their families in East Gippsland.

He provides encouragement and guidance to those navigating bureaucratic complexities, helping individuals who are having trouble working through the system.

In situations where veterans and their families feel isolated, David offers hope and works tirelessly to secure favourable outcomes for them.

‍Nominees:

• Angela Dunkley
• Phil Schneider
• Cheryl Jakobi
• Geoff Enever
• Sue Carroll

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Young Citizen of the Year - Jasmine Westaway and Danika Woods (joint winners)

Danika Woods exemplifies true resilience in the face of adversity.

Despite encountering obstacles in her learning environment due to a disability, she emerged as an outstanding role model and achieved the distinction of being the first person in her family to graduate from high school.

Her selflessness and unwavering commitment to serving others were evident in her active participation in "Project Ready” where she not only completed the program the previous year but also dedicated time each week to support disengaged students.

Jasmine Westaway stands out as an ambitious all-rounder and high achiever involved in a diverse range of activities.

In sports and recreation, her dedication to athletics is noteworthy, including tasks such as program assignment, setup assistance, and motivating and supporting young participants through warm-up activities.

Additionally, Jasmine has made significant contributions to both the Orbost Secondary College Senior and Swing Band community from an arts and culture perspective.

Over the past year, performances have been featured in events such as emergency services presentation night, Orbost Show Day, school functions, and band tours.

‍Nominees:

• Banjo Jackson
• Lilly Legget
• Juliette Heart

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Community Event of the Year - Metung Fun Run

The Metung Fun Run is a fantastic community event raising funds for Metung Primary School and Metung Lions Club.

The event has been held for over 10 years and continues to grow each year.

The 2023 event had over 355 participants and raised $15,000 from registrations, sponsorships, and merchandise.

The event attracts runners from all over to East Gippsland, brings the local community together and celebrates the natural beauty Metung has to offer.

Supported by so many volunteers and businesses, the Metung Fun Run is a great event that also prompts children and adults to get active.

‍Nominees:

• Carols by Candlelight Bairnsdale
• Lakes Entrance parkrun
• East Gippsland Winter Festival
• Orbost Pony Club

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