Murray River Council residents were up early on Australia Day to celebrate the contributions of local individuals and groups to their communities.
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Across the shire, six Australia Day ceremonies were held to recognise the Australia Day award winners, with many Moama residents gathering at the Mathoura event.
The Mathoura ceremony, hosted at The Timbercutter, began with a breakfast of bacon and egg rolls and fruit salad at 8am before the ceremony kicked off at 8.30am.
Murray River Councillors Bianca Hurn, Joy Allan and Kylie Berryman led the ceremony on the day and presented awards to local recipients.
Recipients of the joint Citizens of the Year award, Geoffrey and Alexandra Kent, were among those honoured on the day.
The Kents were recognised for their contribution to the Moama Anglican Grammar community through the G&A Kent Charitable Trust.
Through their support, the school was able to acquire the Gunbower Estate, an 84-acre learning campus used to support the academic growth of its students.
While the estate itself holds historic significance, reimagining the land as a dynamic learning environment has also ensured it remains relevant into the future.
Mr Kent said the initiative was motivated by the desire to support local youth.
“Our works for the G&A Kent Charitable Trust, particularly the acquisition of Gunbower Estate, was driven by a simple vision to give the next generation a place where they can learn and connect with the land that sustains us all,” he said.
“This award may have our names on it, but it belongs to everyone who shared this vision... success is rarely a solo act, and we are grateful for the support of all those who recognise the vital role of philanthropy and regional growth.
“We encourage everyone, whether you are new to the area or have been here for decades, to find your own way to give back.”
The team behind the Winter Blues Festival was recognised as the recipient of the Community Event of the Year award.
The volunteer-driven festival held on the last weekend of July, traditionally the quietest trading period of the year, has grown into a major attraction over the years with more than 15,000 visitors annually from across Australia.
The event has driven more than $17 million into the region during the festival period and has boosted local and emerging artists.
Committee members Greg Gilmour and Laurelin Berick accepted the award on the day on behalf of the committee.
Mr Gilmour took the chance to thank Mrs Berick, the committee chair, and the wider committee for their efforts.
“(Laurelin) stepped in to the role, and she's just done an absolutely sensational job,” he said.
“Every person on that committee, puts in, has a job and a role, and it's exciting to watch and see.
“To bring 15,000 people to town on the coldest weekend of the year and sometimes the wettest, is a huge achievement for the town.”
While Moama’s Kate Downward was unable to attend the ceremony, she was also recognised as this year's Sportsperson of the Year.
Across the shire, Moulamein’s Mila Grey was named Young Sportsperson of the Year, Caldwell Hall Management Committee received the Art and Culture Award and the Goodnight Recreation Reserve and Hall Committee was named Community Group of the Year.