Australia Day Awards – Merriwa District

MERRIWA hosted this years Australia Day district awards which was held at a packed Merriwa RSL Club.

See photos below.

Jackson Keane was honoured to be awarded Merriwa Young Citizen of the Year and Upper Hunter Shire Council Young Citizen of the Year for his efforts within the community, particularly in the sporting area.

“It was a huge honour to get both awards, I was not expecting it and I was really thrilled to get it, I just love supporting the community and I just love sport and I try and get in every sport in Merriwa, coaching or playing it,” said Jackson Keane.

Jackson has played a role in Little Athletics in Merriwa for some time, his efforts recognised by this award.

“I have been an athlete there for many years and now I am a coach there, I would like to thank my parents for helping me get here and also Tash for helping me through all the coaching courses, she was a huge help,” Jackson Keane said.

Tash Taafe was awarded Citizen of the Year for the Merriwa District for her efforts with sport, helping young people, pony club and various other community events and was surprised and humbled for the award.

“I feel humbled and very very overwhelmed that someone took that much time and effort to nominate me in the first place, and to do it without me knowing was amazing……for me, I love what I do in my town and I love making it a better place,” said Tash Taafe. 

Hosted by radio and television personality Graham Ross, the crowd was entertained with a comprehensive history lesson researched by Graham in his preparation as an Australia Day Ambassador for the Merriwa District, a duty he enjoyed.

“I am enormously proud and grateful to be here with you today, there is no better historical atypical place to celebrate Australia Day,” said Graham Ross.

“It is an opportunity for someone who lives on the coast to actually meet the real Australians, there is 85% of us living around the coast and the other small percentage is living in the bush providing our food, our resources and our energy to survive,” he said.

“Whether it is sport, whether it is young achievers or whether it is people that have done other amazing things, to me, that’s what makes my day, my Australia Day, absolutely special, it’s meeting those people,” Graham Ross said.

Citizen of the Year Awards:

• Jackson Keane– Young Citizen of the Year – Upper Hunter Shire
• Tash Taafe – Merriwa District Citizen of the Year
• Jackson Keane – Merriwa District Young Citizen of the Year

Achiever of the Year Awards:

• Julia Wilton – Merriwa District Achiever of the Year
• Nicole Martin – Merriwa District Young Achiever of the Year

School Achievement Award Recipients:

• Victoria McNaught – Merriwa Central School

Creative Arts Excellence Award:

• Chelsea Borradaile – Merriwa Central School

Community Group of the Year Award:

• Merriwa Welcoming Centre and Men’s Shed

Environmental Achievement Award:

• Denis Nutt

Sustainability in Business Award:

• Ben Frampton