Australia Day Awards – Murrurundi

MURRURUNDI is renowned for putting on the biggest Australia Day celebrations in the Shire and this year was no exception.

After the grand parade the Australia Day Ambassador Nick Gleason started the awards ceremony.

Nick is an example of a great Australian who is an athlete, accessibility advocate and global adventurer, who can speak with authority about overcoming challenges, as he is also blind.

Murrurundi Citzen of the Year Debbie Eather with Australia Day Ambassador Nick Gleason and guide dog Unity.

Citizen of the Year was Debbie Eather who has been treasurer of the Rodeo Committee for the past ten years, assistant secretary of the barrel races for four years and her name is synonymous with the Rosedale canteen.

Her volunteer work is a significant contribution to the community and one of the town’s quiet achievers who deserves the recognition to be Citizen of the Year.

Talia Bruce was awarded Sportstar of the Year for her achievements in the pool.

Talia has been a member of the Scone Swimming Club for eight years and this year qualified for the Nationals.

Her achievements include:

• qualified and competed at the NSW Country Championships, the NSW State Age Championships; the NSW State Open Championships, the Australian Open Championships, the Australian Age Championships and was invited into the A Squad development team and received a bronze standard in the youth performance squad in Australia.
• at club level – female open champion, most outstanding achievement and she has broken 17 club records.

Lachlan Bryce was awarded Young Sportstar of the Year for his excellence in wood chopping.

Lachlan started professional wood chopping in March last year and has since excelled in the sport.

He has achieved 13 wins, 2 seconds, 15 junior axemens underhand events on a 250mm block.

Lachlan is already winning and placing in the open men’s heats against some of the country’s best axemen and is nominated to chop at the Sydney Royal East Show this year.

Murrurund Rotary Club received the award for Community Group of the Year.

The members of the Club have worked tirelessly to bring together the Train Festival, which brought many people to the town and benefited many local businesses.

Australia Day Award recipients and nominees at Murrurundi: Talia Bruce, Deb Eather, Missy Peters, Rachel Brown, Dinah Norton, Robyn Terry, Lauchlan Bryce and Rodney Swansborough.