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
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Winner
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Citizen of the Year
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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
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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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