Australia Day was celebrated colourfully across the shire yesterday in the park, at the beach and at home.
Fourteen new citizens were welcomed in a ceremony at Moruya and families gathered for public events from Batemans Bay, Broulee, to Tuross Head and Bodalla.
Our 2012 Eurobodalla Citizen of the Year, Brad Rossiter, celebrated quietly at his Batemans Bay home with wife and fellow health activist Lorae, after his moving acceptance speech the night before at the Moruya Mechanics Institute.
The Surfside activist received kidney and pancreas transplants and lost both his legs due to diabetes, but he and his wife together established the Eurobodalla Renal Support Group and the Organ Donor Awareness and Education program.
Mayor Fergus Thomson said the Australia Day Awards recognised those residents who gave tirelessly.
Former Narooma High School student Georgie Burrough was named Young Citizen of the Year. The Eurobodalla Shire Youth Committee member, Peer Support Leader and SRC member was also involved in surf lifesaving and sport umpiring.
Narooma’s Margaret Saker and Long Beach’s Maria de Rocco received achievement awards, as did Moruya’s Jess McGrath for her work with fellow young people.
Batemans Bay Surf Lifesaving Club’s Anthony Bellette received a sports achievement award, along with polocrosse champion, Bodalla’s Farann Mathie.
The Community Event of the Year Award was presented to Carole McNamara on behalf of the committee that organises the Tuross Memorial Gardens Anzac Day dawn service.
The Jeff Britten Award for the Pursuit of Excellence was presented to the Salvation Army’s Linda Pierpoint for her community work in Batemans Bay.
The shire’s Australia Day Ambassadors, Dr Peter Spitzer, CEO of the Humour Foundation, and Penny Cook, actor and TV presenter, attended the ceremonies.
Moruya and District Citizen of the Year Award went to Ray Jeffery of Bodalla who, backed by his wife Betty, has been the force behind the huge success of rodeos in the circuit’s southern region. Mr Jeffery was president of the Moruya Rodeo Committee for 30 years and a past president of the Moruya Showground Management Committee for 10 years.
In Batemans Bay, hundreds of people dressed in true blue Aussie flags, and covered in green and gold, gathered for a quick ceremony at Corrigans Reserve.
Kids enjoyed the free jumping castle and goodies from the Rural Fire Service, while adults feasted on a barbecue breakfast and competed for the best-dressed swaggie competition.
At the Broulee Surfing Surf Life Savers Club, hundreds of people joined in celebration of its $30,000 renovation achieved this week by dozens of volunteers and tradies, backed and funded by the Tooheys New Crew after the council condemned its deck last year. Full story, back page.
For more Australia Day coverage, see inside Friday's Bay Post/Moruya Examiner!
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