Australia Day Awards in Scone
CHELSEA Bonner the Australia Day Ambassador in Scone and Aberdeen said she felt right at home being in regional Australia having grown up in country Victoria.
She also said she was pleased to be in the Horse Capital as horses were her escape during her childhood when her father, well known TV actor and pilot on Skippy, Tony Bonner, struggled with an alcohol problem.
Chelsea became the founder of Bella Model Management and spoke of her passion for more realistic body images and the perils of distorted realities in the media.
After hearing the speech from Robert “Bob” Mailer the Upper Hunter Citizen of the Year she said that she had found a new “favourite human” in Bob and appreciated hte humour and genuiness of country people.
Award recipients for 2019 in Scone were:
- Upper Hunter Shire Citizen of the Year – Robert Mailer
- Hunter McLoughlin Citizen of the Year – Robert Mailer – Read more: about Bob.
- Young Citizen of the Year – Charlotte Heaton
- Achiever of the Year – Brad Smith
- Young Achiever of the Year – Tyler Kelly
- Community Group of the Year – Scone Thoroughbreds Rugby League Football Club
Special Awards:
- Outstanding Sports Achievement – Charlie Richardson
- Quiet Achiever Award – Scone Hospital Auxiliary
School Achievement Award Recipients: Amelia Meier from Scone High School and Anna Atkinson from Scone Grammar School.
Creative Arts Excellence Award Recipients: David Kalev-Roy from Scone High School, Elise Taylor from St Joseph’s High School and Lleyton Hails from Scone Grammar School.
Nominees for awards in Scone included: Anna Atkinson, Danielle Brown, Kim Cummins, Katrina Gorman, Lleyton Hails, Charlotte Heaton, Tyler Kelly, Kayley Kennedy, Robert Mailer, Max Patterson, Charlie Richardson, Scone Films, Scone Grammar School Primary Rugby League, Scone Grammar School Primary Rugby Union, Scone Hospital Auxiliary, Scone Thoroughbreds RLFC, Showstoppers Performing Arts Company, Brad Smith, Phoebe Weatherley and Where There’s A Will.
- Cr Lee Watts with Australia Day Ambassador Chelsea Bonner.
- New Australian Citizens: L-R: Elizabeth Da Silva, Dilson Da Silva, Maria Circosts, Karla Da Silva, Bernadita Gabriel, Jan Vincent Grajo, Azizah Grajo, Tatum Lingad and Kenneth McNaught, pictured with Lorraine Gardner.
- School Achievement Awards went to: Kristy Hailes on behalf of her son Lleyton Hails, David Kalev-Roy, Elise Taylor, Anna Atkinson and Amelia Meier, pictured with Mayor Wayne Bedggood.
- The Community Group of the Year Award went to Scone Rugby League Club, with the award accepted by John Olteanu and Jason Croucher, pictured with Cr James Burns.
- Rev Nate Atkinson accpeted the award for Young Achiever of the Year Award on behalf of Tyler Kelly, pictured with Australia Day Ambassador Chelsea Bonner, Cr Lee Watts and Mayor Wayne Bedggood.
- Brad Smith was awarded Achiever of the Year Award, pictured with Hon., Michael Johnson MP, Cr Lee Watts and Mayor Wayne Bedggood.
- Charlie Richardson was awarded Special Award for Outstanding Sports Achievement, with Cr Lee Watts and Mayor Wayne Bedggood.
- Quiet Achiever of the year Award went to the Scone Hospital Auxiliary Sandra Graham, with Cr Lee Watts and Mayor Wayne Bedggood.
- Accepting the award for Scone and Distrcit Young Citizen of the Year on behalf of her daughter Charlotte Heaton, Mary Spora, with Errol and Beryl Bates and Mayor Wayne Bedggood.
- Hunter McLoughlin Memorial Citizen of the Year Robert “Bob” Mailer with Cr Lee Watts and Cr Maurice Collison.