By Jessica Anstice
Cardinia Shire’s 2020 Australia Day Award nominees were announced at a VIP Nominee Reception on Monday 20 January.
Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Jeff Springfield congratulated all nominees and thanked them for their contribution to making Cardinia Shire a fantastic place to live, work and play, during the special presentation held at Cardinia Cultural Centre.
“Without the efforts and dedication of people like our Australia Day nominees, our shire would not be the great place it is,” Cr Springfield said.
“We are so fortunate to have so many individuals who work to create such a vibrant and diverse community here in our shire.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to each of our 2020 Australia Day Award nominees for their outstanding work within our community, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”
The prestigious award winners will be announced at the Cardinia Shire Australia Day event at the Cardinia Cultural Centre on 26 January.
The event will commence at 11am and feature the shire’s annual Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony; including a ministerial address from La Trobe MP and Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs Assistant Minister Jason Wood.
The Cardinia Shire Australia Day event will be followed by free activities coordinated by the Lakeside Residents Group from 12pm.
The nominees for the Cardinia Shire are as follows:
Citizen of the Year nominees
• Aanchal Meshram
• Daniel Clausen
• Hardev Singh Cheema
• John Anderson
• Leah Bryant
• Luke Williams
• Melise Yeates
• Michael Soutter
• Michael Wright
• Ray Spencer
• Ruth South
• Samantha O’Sullivan
• Shoheli Sunjida
Senior Citizen of the Year nominees
• Bruce Monro
• Jenny Pritchard
• Pamela Cunningham
• Robert Porter
Young Citizen of the Year nominees
• Emma Jackel
• Jayden Kruzicevic-King
• Taleisha Rech-Ellery
Event of the Year nominees
• Cardinia Australia Day 2019 – Lakeside Residents Group
• Cardinia Diwali Festival – IACC
• International Mother language day celebration
• Jitterbugs playgroup – St Luke’s Church
• Jorh Mela Pakenham – Baba Budha Ji Charitable Association Inc
• Lang Lang Community fair and fun day – Lang Lang Football Club
• Navratri 2019 – Cardinia Gujarati Association Inc
• Nectar feeding garden planting, Garfield North Outdoor Education Centre – Community recovery committee and Cannibal Creek Landcare
• Not on my watch – Officer Junior Football Club & Officer Cricket Club
• Officer Sikh Temple’s Thanksgiving for Volunteers of the Bunyip Bushfires 2019 – Gurdwara Siri Guru Nanak Darbar, Officer
• Remembrance Day Centenary of Armistice – Emerald RSL Sub Branch
• Resin Flow Art show & expo – Cardinia Art Society
A number of community-hosted Australia Day events are also being held around the shire including:
Beaconsfield Australia Day family picnic and movie night
7–10.30pm at Holm Park Recreation Reserve (oval one), Beaconsfield-Emerald Road
Bunyip & District Australia Day ceremony
9.30–11.30am at Bunyip Hall, 38 Main Street, Bunyip
Cockatoo Australia Day community breakfast and awards
7.30–10.30am at Alma Treloar Reserve amphitheatre, Pakenham Road
Kooweerup Australia Day ceremony
8.15–10.30am at Koo Wee Rup Community Centre, Cochrane Park
Lang Lang Australia Day
9am at Lang Lang Memorial Hall, 135 McDonalds Track, Lang Lang
