Do you know an inspiring individual or an engaging event? Nominations are now open for the 2018 Ipswich Australia Day Awards. We caught up with five people to see what they’ve been doing since taking top honours earlier this year.
Citizen of the Year
Awarded to someone aged 26 or over as at 26 January next year for their outstanding contribution and commitment to the City of Ipswich.
Since being named 2017 Ipswich Citizen of the Year I have established Springfield Lakes Nature Care. We are an incorporated group that does little things in the community to raise awareness of the environment. So far this year we have been involved in Clean Up Australia Day, National Tree Day, Trees for Mum and most recently Keep Australia Beautiful Week. These issues impact every community, not just Springfield Lakes, and the events can be promoted in every Ipswich suburb.
Young Citizen of the Year
Category for people aged under 26 as at 26 January next year.
I have started working as a registered nurse and I’m about to start six months at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane. I’d eventually like to get into the emergency department at the QEII.
Senior Citizen of the Year
Nominees must be aged 60 or over as at 26 January next year.
I completed a book on the Walker family history, The Walkers of Aberdare: An Ipswich Mining Family. We launched it on 13 August this year so a fair bit of time leading up to that and since that has been dedicated to the book. That was my project for this year.
Cultural Award
Open to actors, performers, musicians, artists and other people who have worked to develop cultural programs and projects in Ipswich.
As a member of the FUSED organising committee I worked to encourage all art forms, not just visual arts, as part of an inaugural festival in September. FUSED had a focus on musicians, bands, theatre, artisan markets, spoken word and raising the profile of street art, which is what we did with the new mural at the back of Goleby’s in the Ipswich CBD.
Spirit of Ipswich
Recognises people from outside Ipswich who contribute to the city in a major way.
I’m still teaching prep at Ipswich Junior Grammar School and we’re still going on our camping trips. We’re heading out to Wivenhoe Dam again in October. It’s a great way of enhancing that sense of community. You don’t teach to win awards, you teach for the love of the job and the unique ability to bring people together. It was really humbling to be recognised as a winner from outside the Ipswich community.
Mind your Ts and Cs
- Nominees must be Australian citizens.
- We’re looking for people who lived in the Ipswich local government area during 2017, but we’ll consider nominees from beyond the boundaries if they have greatly contributed to the community.
- You can’t nominate yourself, even though you’re awesome, sorry.
- Nominations close on Friday 17 November.
- Everything you need to nominate is here.
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