AUSTRALIA DAY awards 2023
M
AREEBA Shire’s most outstanding community leaders, volunteers and sportspeople were all recognised at Mareeba Shire Council’s Australia Day Awards last week with a young entrepreneur with dreams of being a high performance coach and an indigenous women who opens her home and heart to those doing it tough being recognised as the Young Citizen and Citizen of the Year. The Mareeba International Club played host to this year’s ceremony as nominees and their families attended to celebrate the amazing things they do each year. There were 11 awards given out to shire residents this year including junior and senior sportsperson of the year, excellence awards and community service awards. The highest accolades however went to Coco Gambino and Marcia Nguyen who both were completely surprised they were named Young Citizen and Citizen of the Year. Ms Gambino was not only nominated for her stellar academic and sporting success but also for her work ethic as she worked two jobs whilst studying in grade 12 and has plans to start her own after-school athletics program. She has further aspirations to combine her love for sport and her academic prowess by becoming a high-performance sporting coach for a nationally or internationally acclaimed team. “I am actually really surprised and was not expecting it at all, I was hoping to get Junior Sportsperson so to be named Junior Citizen is quite a shock,” she said. “I do want to work with elite athletes and be a high-performance coach after my university course. “Words cannot describe how I am feeling, all I can say is thank you – I have worked so hard for it and it is good to see all my hard work has paid off.” Ms Nguyen decided on the day of the awards that she would attend as she did not expect to even be nominated in the first place, let along be named as Citizen of the Year. “I did not expect to be nominated let alone win, I wasn’t even going to go until the last minute,” Ms Nguyen said.
“I feel very honoured to be nominated and would like to thank whoever nominated me. “I am still in shock really.” While working to support herself, the Dimbulah resident also takes in troubled indigenous kids and struggling families, helping them to find their feet and give them direction without any kind of monetary support – she has done this for the past two decades. “I take in foster children and anyone really who needs help and I just do it out of the goodness of my heart,” Ms Nguyen said. “It is probably due to how I was raised by my parents who did the same, they taught us not to turn away anyone in need, there is always someone out there who needs help, treat people how you would like to be treated and respect everyone no matter who.” Alannah Falvo was awarded an Excellence Award for her dedication and achievements in academic pursuits, sports, cultural and community activities. The Senior Community Service Award went to Michael Dwyer for his work as a Justice of the Peace at the Mareeba Courthouse and another was given to Bill McKerlie who his advocacy work for the Mareeba Shire and time on the Mt Molloy Rural Fire Brigade. The Junior Community Service Award was awarded to Joshua Snell for his academic and sporting achievements. Mareeba Bulls coach Christian Mukadi was named as the Senior Sportsperson of the Year for his work with the club’s juniors, his executive po-
Christian Mukadi was awarded the Seniors Sporsperson award.
MAREEBA SHIRE COUNCIL Award winners Mareeba Shire’s Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year Marcia Nguyen and Coco Gambino.
sition and multiple coaching duties while gymnast Frank Tulloch was named as the Junior Sportsperson of the Year, he is a current gold medal holder for floor. Rugby League star Aerielle (May May) Hobbler received a Highly Commended in the Sports Category Award for her drive, dedication and achievements in Rugby League. Delwyn Richards received an Environment and Community Service Award for his expertise in Australian birdlife and constant clean-up of litter of the Rex Range. The Mareeba Gymnastics Club was named as
The Senior Community Service Award went to Michael Dwyer.
the Community Organisation of the Year for their service to the community over the past 100 years. Mayor Angela Toppin took time to thank each and every person who nominated for an award during her speech prior to the awards. “I am very proud of the overwhelming sense of community spirit, resilience, compassion and generosity that continues to shine through across the Shire and will take this as one of the greatest positives from the last few years,” she said. Visit www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au for more photos and info on the awards.
The Junior Community Service Award went to Joshua Snell.
Frank Tulloch was named Junior Sportsperson of the Year,
Councillor Update Mareeba Shire Council Deputy Mayor Kevin Davies
I am pleased to provide an update to residents and ratepayers on some of the latest news from Council. Australia Day Award Recipients It was a great privilege to be the Master of Ceremonies at Council’s Annual Australia Day Awards, on Thursday, 26 January 2023, where Council presented awards to worthy residents that make a significant contribution to our Shire. I would like to congratulate our Citizen of the Year, Marcia Nguyen, who does a tremendous job supporting children and families in Dimbulah, and Coco Gambino, our Young Citizen of the Year, who is recognised for her sporting and academic achievements and her commitment to volunteering. I would also like to thank all our nominees for the work they have done, and will continue to do, to make this community a better place. Emergency Repair Work Continuing Mareeba Shire Council is responding to several roads requiring emergency repairs following heavy rainfall throughout January 2023. I would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding while Council responds to customer requests relating to damage to multiple roads across our vast road network. Our staff will respond to the request when it is safe and practical to do so. Please report any new damage to Mareeba Shire Council on 1300 308 461. Upcoming Free Domestic Green Waste Days Mareeba Shire Council offers free domestic green waste disposal every quarter and the next scheduled days will occur this coming
PAGE 4 The Express, Wednesday, February 1, 2023
weekend. Visit Council’s website and search ‘Free Green Waste’ for additional information. Have Your Say Mareeba Heavy Vehicle Bypass I would like to encourage Mareeba residents and road users to complete the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ (TMR) survey into the development of the Mareeba Heavy Vehicle Bypass. Feedback on the proposed bypass will be used to inform the project planning outcomes. In the survey, TMR is also inviting comment on Byrnes Street and the road network generally, as it is relevant to the bypass planning. Visit Council’s website and search ‘Mareeba Bypass’ for a link to the online survey or an electronic fillable version of the survey. A hard copy of the survey is also available at the Mareeba Customer Service Centre. The due date for the survey is Thursday, 23 February 2023. Deputy Mayor Cr. Kevin Davies Phone: 0400 490 493 Mail: PO Box 154 Mareeba QLD 4880
www.theexpressnewspaper.com.au