With the hot sun beaming down and plenty of cold beverages on hand, people from across the shire gathered yesterday for their quintessential Australia Day ceremonies.
The official ceremony at the Narrabri Aquatic Centre had all the elements we expect and look forward to on our national day; a smiling chap in a Lion’s Club apron, a smattering of Aussie flags on cheeks, and the aroma of snags cooking.
The nominees and winners of the Australia Day awards were as impressive as ever, but the people who make our country great were apparent before the official proceedings even began.
The bright orange uniforms of the SES could be seen in the crowd, along with the green and white colours of the VRA.
The West Scouts were at the ready, preparing to perform the official flag raising which they executed flawlessly.
The Narrabri Shire Band played by the pool as families steadily streamed in, while the Namoi Valley Antique Vehicle Club members displayed their classic cars.
Those who dedicate their time to keeping people safe, to entertaining, to governing, to teaching, or to taking on the monumental task of carefully preserving our rich history, all combine to make our community great.
Those who thought to nominate the nominees must be acknowledged; without them we wouldn’t be able to hold up our unsung heroes as an example of what we strive for.
The families of the nominees also cannot be overlooked.
To put it in the words of our Australia Day Ambassador Gabrielle Clarke, the family unit is “the wind in all of our sails”.
Miss Clarke was introduced by the mayor, Cr Bolton, to give the key note address though it took him quite some time to list her sporting achievements over the years.
The number of medals and awards she has won, mainly in swimming and golf, was nothing short of astounding, but Gabrielle embodies much more than Aussie sporting success.
The crowd at the Australia Day Ceremony was in awe as she told her story of overcoming a disability and what it means to be Australian.
“It’s all about having a go and helping a friend, being tolerant and accepting people for who they are, its our strong will and pride,” she said.
“Australia has given me opportunities, independence and freedom, in Australia every citizen can reach out and follow their dreams.
“I was born with Down Syndrome, I don’t suffer from it, I just have it.
“The doctor told my parents I would never walk or talk, but look at me now!”
Gabrielle’s humorous, positive outlook on life was infectious, drawing many laughs and applause from the appreciative crowd.
When it came time to announce the Australia Day honours, it was clear that this year’s nominees and winners had set the bar high.
The Narrabri Shire Citizen of the Year award for 2015 went to Kelly Foran from the Friendly Faces Helping Hands Foundation.
After suffering a major stroke Mrs Foran experienced first hand the difficulties faced when seeking out appropriate health care in a regional area.
This inspired her to set up the foundation which helps link rural communities to major hospitals, health facilities and resources within cities.
The service has grown exponentially and now assists people Australia wide, demonstrating that the greatest accomplishments can come out of adversity.
“We’ve helped 45,000 people so far and I think it’s just amazing how things can grow and how if you want something bad enough and you work hard you can succeed,” Mrs Foran explained.
She would like to see the health system become more strongly inter-connected.
“I want all the different services to talk to one another, and not be worried about being private or government or not for profit, everyone has a role to play and we need to work together to be holistic,” she said.
“There are so many alternatives, the support services are there, people want to help but sometimes they don’t know how to help, I’m just in a position where I can connect services to people and people to services.”
Lachlan Michell, 6, and Brigette Rose, 8, were named Young Citizens of the Year (Primary), proving that even the youngest in the community can show initiative and help the less fortunate.
Lachlan and Brigette have just completed their second successful campaign to fundraise money to help other children in the community with disabilities.
They mixed up packets of reindeer feed which were sold at outlets across Narrabri, raising an incredible $3,600 this year for Davinda Palmer who has a rare chromosomal deletion disorder.
Mayor Conrad Bolton was honoured to be able to acknowledge the achievements of the young citizens of the year.
“Lachlan and Bridget have set a strong example to the community of kindness, charity and community spirit, our thanks to you for the wonderful effort you’re putting in,” he said.
“Council every year has to sit down and deliberate on the many submissions for awards that we get and I’ve got to say that was the easiest decision.”
The Young Citizen of the Year in the Secondary school category was awarded to Wee Waa’s Tayla Gilmore for her sporting success and contribution to the community through coaching and mentoring.
“Tayla has excelled in sport and represented our shire in cricket at the highest level,” Mayor Bolton explained.
“Her ability and willingness to mentor and coach has allowed her to become a positive role model for her fellow students.”
The Community Event of the Year showed that heritage can be our greatest asset in keeping communities vibrant and defending against the decline of small country towns.
This award went to the Boggabri Drover’s Campfire which was first held in 2006 and has grown into a successful, economy boosting event for the town.
Mayor Conrad Bolton spoke highly of the initiative shown by the Boggabri Lion’s Club and local community.
“The event gives visitors the opportunity to connect with some good old fashioned bush values and pasttimes, it attracted over 500 vans last year,” he said.
“It has expanded to include agriculture and mining tours, entertainment, campfire cooking competitions, market stalls, and exhibitions.”
Live music and activities in the pool, including a duck race, followed the official proceedings at the Narrabri Pool.
Ceremonies were also held in Wee Waa later that morning and in Boggabri in the afternoon.
Congratulations to the winners who, above all, have shown that most incredible Australians and the most heart-warming achievements are often found at the grass roots of our community.