Burnie Australia Day award recipients announced

Published on 26 January 2022

As part of the annual Burnie Australia Day ceremony, outstanding local community members and groups are presented the prestigious Burnie Australia Day Awards for Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year and Community Event of the Year.

The 2022 City of Burnie Australia Day Citizen of the Year has been awarded to Ian Jones. Burnie City Council Mayor Kons said “Ian has entrenched himself in a wide range of community boards and groups and works tirelessly for our city. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Ian has remained focused on the business community, working diligently with a small working party to consider concepts and ideas that could rejuvenate our city and install positive and vibrant spaces to support business”.

The 2022 City of Burnie Senior Citizen of the Year has been awarded to Viktor Zappner OAM. Mayor Kons said “Renowned jazz pianist and promoter Dr Viktor Zappner OAM is considered by many people to be a "living legend", given his continued contribution to Burnie's - and indeed the region's and Tasmania's - cultural heritage. Viktor has led or played piano alongside local and internationally acclaimed musicians in numerous bands in thousands of performances. And, while his music has taken him around the world, his greatest passion has been fostering the appreciation of jazz in Tasmania”.

The 2022 City of Burnie Community Event of the Year has been awarded to the Burnie Surf Life Saving Club Centenary. Mayor Kons said “The Burnie Surf Life Saving Club (BSLSC) - Tasmania's oldest - celebrated a century of service to the community during its 2020-21 season. Today, the club is still considered Tasmania's foremost club, with a membership close to 400, maintaining patrols on West Beach amounting to hundreds of hours annually to keep our beaches safe, and competing successfully in local, state and national competition. Few other organisations can boast a voluntary contribution of this magnitude”.