Pilbara towns celebrate in true Aussie style

Published on Wednesday, 1 February 2017 at 12:00:00 AM

Residents of the Shire of Ashburton celebrated Australia Day in true Aussie style with free BBQ’s, Aussie music, plenty of Australian flags, temporary tattoos and an abundance of Community spirit. 

Thanks to the Shire’s partnerships with Rio Tinto and the Chevron-operated Wheatstone project, free community events were held in each town with Onslow residents celebrating at the Onslow Sports Club while Tom Price, Pannawonica and Paraburdoo gathered at the local swimming pool. 

Quintessential Australian games and activities such as thong throwing, obstacle courses and thong races created many laughs and kept everyone entertained throughout the day.

Citizenship Award Ceremonies were hosted within each town, allowing the community to thank and acknowledge individuals and groups for their community efforts.

Shire President Kerry White says that the Shire of Ashburton is proud to host free, family friendly events in Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Pannawonica and Onslow.  “We recognise it is important to celebrate what makes our country such an amazing place to live, which is personified within each of our wonderful towns,” said Cr White. “It is also a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge outstanding residents who contribute so richly to our communities.”

Rio Tinto manager Tom Price and Marandoo Jim Cooper said Australia Day celebrations are a great way to start off the year in Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Pannawonica to celebrate the hard work and commitment of local community members, while enjoying time with friends and family.

“The Shire of Ashburton Australia Day Celebrations and Awards are great for the whole community, which Rio Tinto is a proud long-term supporter of through our Community Infrastructure and Services Partnership,” Mr Cooper said. “They are an opportunity for everyone to enjoy a great day of fun and activities.”

The winners of the 2017 Citizenship Awards are as follows:

Award Category

Town

Winner

Citizen of the Year

Onslow

Cameron McGurk

Citizen of the Year

Pannawonica

Stacey Rutherford

Citizen of the Year

Paraburdoo

Sandra James

Citizen of the Year

Tom Price

Annette Wilson

 

 

 

Senior Citizen of the Year

Onslow

Dawn McAullay

Senior Citizen of the Year

Tom Price

Sister Margaret Culhane RSJ

 

 

 

Youth Citizen of the Year

Onslow

Jake Stratford

Youth Citizen of the Year

Tom Price

Corbann Macale

 

 

 

Active Citizenship (group or event)

Onslow

Onslow Sports Club

Active Citizenship (group or event)

Pannawonica

Pannawonica Swimming Club

Active Citizenship (group or event)

Paraburdoo

Emergency Services Cadets

Active Citizenship (group or event)

Tom Price

Tom Price Youth Support Association

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