Mayoral Message - January 2024
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Published on 30 January 2024
This year began with a rocky start. Yass Valley celebrated Christmas with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain causing localised flooding.
A team of four from our Yass SES unit were sent to assist SES teams in Queensland in January. A big thank you to these champions who assisted and to the rest of the SES teams in and around the Valley, your work is monumental and is greatly appreciated by the community.
I joined with four former Mayors of Yass Valley to pay tribute and farewell the late Brian O’Connor at his largely attended funeral. Brian had a long and varied life serving the people of Yass and District, he loved and cared for his home town, he served as a Councillor for 13 years and he was regarded as a visionary problem solver and stalwart of the Oil Industry. He was awarded an AM in 2016 for his work in environmental protection associated with oil spills. He was names Yass Citizen of the Year in 2009 for his work within the community. Brian certainly left his mark on Yass, being highly respected and widely regarded as a local legend. May he Rest in Peace.
I was pleased to finally take up a long standing invitation from Bruce Hazell to meet with some of the locals at Barney’s Café in Bookham on 11 January. We shared great conversation, good coffee, and had quite a few laughs. I was reminded of the beauty of Bookham after meeting and seeing the vivacity of the community. Thank you for having me.
I caught up with the wonderful men at the Yass Valley’s Men Shed on 14 January. It’s great to see the deep connections these men have made together and would highly encourage any men within our region to join. Sheds are well established in Yass, Murrumbateman, and Gundaroo.
As always, it’s a pleasure to stroll around our community and see the stunning sights our Region has to offer. I got to hear some happy frogs at the pond in Murrumbateman and was reminded of the beauty in colour, sound, and smell that happens organically. The Yass Valley is a wonderful area to call my home.
I was pleased to join with parishioners and other community members to attend the induction and welcome the new Rector of St Clement’s Parish Reverend Luke Collings on 24 January. I look forward to seeing the new Reverend Luke, his wife Julia, and their family around the town as they settle into the community. My best wishes are with them.
I joined our MP Wendy Tuckerman and the Yass Valley’s Australia Day Ambassador Tiffany Thomas Kane OAM on Thursday, 25 January to celebrate our Australia Day Award Recipients on the eve of Australia Day. It was a lovely celebration to honour the hardworking individuals and groups, and to recognise the great work they do for our community.
The following morning, I joined our Ambassador to present our Australia Day Award winners with their certificates and formally thank them for their work. Our region is lucky to have them. Congratulations to:
Ruth Thompson (Citizen of the Year) Sally Townsend (Sportsperson of the Year) Yass Railway Heritage Centre (Community Group of the Year) Murrumbateman Field Days (Event of the Year) Edward Alley (Volunteer of the Year) Yass Police (Mayoral Special Australia Day Award Recipient) Yass Ambulance Services (Mayoral Special Australia Day Award Recipient)To the five new Australian Citizens who were welcomed to the Yass Region on Australia Day, thank you for adding to the vibrancy of our community. It’s always a pleasure to meet new people and I look forward to seeing you around our lovely region.
Until next month.
Allan McGrath