Residents recognised in Australia Day awards

Friday, 24 January 2025

The West Tamar Council has announced its Australia Day award winners at a packed ceremony at the Tailrace Centre on Thursday evening.

Almost 200 guests attended the event, which also welcomed 23 conferees from right across the globe, including India, China, Germany, Sri Lanka, the UK, Kenya, Switzerland, South Africa and Nepal.

This year marks the 76th anniversary of Australian citizenship, with the first ceremony taking place at Albert Hall in Canberra on February 3, 1949. Since then, about six million people from more than 200 nations across the globe have been granted Australian citizenship.

As of January 1 this year, more than 20,600 people from over 150 countries have been invited to attend one of more than 380 citizenship ceremonies hosted by councils and other organisations nationally as part of their Australia Day events program. 

Of these, more than 14,600 people from more than 150 countries have been invited to become citizens on Australia Day at one of more than 280 ceremonies.

This year, West Tamar Council recognised Australia Day award nominees from across five categories - Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Young Sportsperson of the Year, Community Group of the Year and Community Event of the Year. There is also a Mayor's Award, which is presented at the Mayor's discretion for outstanding service to the West Tamar community.

Mayor Christina Holmdahl said the awards recognise individuals and community groups who have made a significant contribution during the current year or have provided an outstanding service over a number of years to their local communities.

Outstanding contributions and community service includes areas such as education, health, fund-raising, charitable and voluntary services, business, sport, arts, the environment, or any other area that contributes to the advancement and well-being of the region.

The 2025 award winners are:

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR – Dianne Milner

Dianne is a selfless community member who freely donates her time and provides resources to some of the West Tamar's most vulnerable community members.

She volunteers at the local Rotary shop, the Beaconsfield Primary School as part of their breakfast club and tirelessly gives her time to the Beaconsfield Child & Family Learning Centre through regular donations to their food appeal and purchasing of household items for families being rehoused due to domestic violence.

Now retired, Dianne continues to deliver her specialist midwifery skills to the West Tamar community.

YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR – Lachlan Bovill

Lachlan’s commitment to his community shines through with his exceptional customer service at Woolworths at Legana, where he has worked since 2013.

Lachlan is also a dedicated volunteer, planting native trees and plants at both the Exeter Golf Club and the Tamar Rowing Club.

His love for nature extends to giving away tree and bird houses that he builds from recycled materials as well as designating land for wildlife conservation where he lives.

Lachie also supported the University of Tasmania to research the prevalence of bandicoots in his local area.

YOUNG SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR – Chloe White

Chloe has been a successful junior athlete at a state level for a number of years - particularly on the hockey field.

Recently, Chloe was selected as a reserve for the 2024 Australian Indoor Hockey Women’s Junior Squad and made the Tasmanian under-18 team that will compete this year at this year's National Championships.

Chloe has represented Tasmania at a national level on numerous occasions as both an athlete and as an umpire.

Additionally, she has umpired hockey matches and volunteered her time for Hockey Tasmania and Launceston City Hockey Club.

Chloe's list of achievements is already significant as she continues to aspire to even greater heights.

Chloe was also named the Council's inaugural Youth Mayor in 2021.

COMMUNITY GROUP OF THE YEAR – Rowella Community Hall Committee

The Rowella Community Hall Committee is a hard-working, community-minded group that goes from strength-to-strength in their list of achievements.

In the 2023/24 financial year, the hall hosted an incredible 100 events and meetings, catering to a wide range of community interests and needs.

Some of the highlights include concerts by local performers, an annual family fun day, a Melbourne Cup luncheon and activities as well as Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, which raises much-needed funds for the Cancer Council.

The committee of volunteers continues to strive to revitalise the hall and grounds and create a prosperous, inclusive and engaging hub for its community.

COMMUNITY EVENT OF THE YEAR – Port Dalrymple Yacht Club

Port Dalrymple Yacht Club is committed to ensuring the sport of sailing continues to flourish in the West Tamar through their "Learn to Sail" initiatives.

The Club has hosted both state and national championships in recent years with sailors from around the country competing.

Port Dalrymple is guided by its strategic plan and has successfully undertaken substantial upgrades to its infrastructure to ensure the facilities are sustainable well into the future.

MAYOR'S AWARD (JOINT WINNER) - Peter Voller

After studying at Gatton College, Peter worked in the Queensland Government for 25 years before moving to Tasmania in 2007 after taking on the role of Manager Natural Values Conservation in DPIPWE.

Since retiring in 2018, Peter has been involved in landcare since the early 1980s and is the current chair of West Tamar Landcare Group. He is also chair of Cradle Coast NRM, a Director on Cradle Coast Authority Board, and Director representing Tasmania on the NRM Regions Australia Board.

Peter was awarded the Public Service Medal in the Order of Australia in 2001 for services to vegetation management in Queensland.

Peter is also driving force behind the Exeter Progress Association. He was presented with the Mayor's Award for his outstanding contributions to the community and the environment.

MAYOR'S AWARD (JOINT WINNER) - Rachelle Hawkins

Along with her husband Craig, Rachelle moved to Tasmania in 1997 where she completed a post graduate diploma in Aquaculture.

Rachelle became the first senior biologist of the Seahorse farm in Beauty Point under the tutelage of Professor Nigel Forteath when it opened in 1998. In 2002, Rachelle and Craig purchased the seahorse production side of the business and eight years later, took over Seahorse World Tourism Centre.

Over the years, the seahorse farm has pioneered the breeding of several species of seahorses under Rachelle's careful eye, and developed techniques that breeders in other countries would be very keen to discover.

In 2017, Rachelle became part of the National Recovery Team for the endangered Tasmanian handfish and is now chairperson on one of the subcommittees.

Rachelle has personally overseen the daily care of handfish at Seahorse World and was the first to successfully raise a spawn of the critically endangered red handfish, of which a number were released back to the wild.

Mayor Christina Holmdahl said the awards recognise those in the West Tamar community who have made outstanding contributions to the region.

"Our award winners represent hard work and selflessness, often over a number of years, and reflect true Australian values," Mayor Holmdahl said.

"On behalf of the West Tamar Council and our community, I thank them all most sincerely for their ongoing contributions."

Mayor Holmdahl also congratulated the conferees, who now - officially - call Australia and the West Tamar home.

"Every citizenship ceremony is important in my opinion, but to become an Australian citizen at an Australia Day ceremony is quite a poignant, proud moment for each and every conferee," Mayor Holmdahl said.

“Citizenship is a life-long commitment to Australia’s shared values, including respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, the rule of law and democracy, and equality of opportunity for all people.

“Each year we are privileged to welcome new Australians to our growing community and look forward to sharing in their culture, and paying tribute to the diversity of experiences which we all bring”.