By Kath Gannaway
Yarra Ranges Council’s Australia Day Awards have recognised and celebrated residents from across the shire who contribute to making their communities a better place in which to live.
The awards ceremony took place at Burrinja Cultural Centre in Upwey on Australia Day Thursday 26 January following a citizenship ceremony at which 75 people representing 27 nationalities became Australian citizens.
Dr Doseena Fergie, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman dedicated to closing the gap in Yarra Ranges was named Citizen of the Year.
Chum Creek Primary School, Coldstream strawberry farmer Sam Violi, Healesville school support volunteer Colin Pierrehumbert, and Tom Steele, a Dixons Creek CFA volunteer with decades of volunteer service in many other forums are also among the 2017 recipients from across Yarra Ranges.
Hard-work, dedication, passion, a love of community and unerring commitment to making things happen were common themes as Yarra Ranges Mayor Noel Cliff and ward councillors presented the awards.
Dr Fergie, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, has been a leader within the local Indigenous community and a driving force behind the ongoing success of the Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association (HICSA).
In 2016, Dr Fergie was inducted into the Victorian Honour Role for Women in recognition of her contribution to advancing Aboriginal health and her efforts to close the gap in Yarra Ranges, and in the same year was also awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship.
With Dr Fergie was away overseas, her family, Rev Dr Bob Fergie and Renae White accepted the award on her behalf.
When honouring Dr Fergie, Cr Cliff said her efforts to create positive change needed to be recognised.
“As an active and respected Elder, Doseena has helped to nurture many young emerging Indigenous leaders,” he said.
“Her role in establishing HICSA has had a considerable impact in the local and wider Yarra Ranges community.”
He said her leadership had provided the Healesville Aboriginal community with a welcoming, culturally affirming place that provided a central point of contact for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
“Her role in assisting council to develop its reconciliation direction of ‘Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Cultural Strengthening’ has created a lasting legacy,” Cr Cliff said.
“Doseena’s focus on placing culture at the centre of health and wellbeing for Aboriginal people and ability to view situations through an Aboriginal lens has transformed the way council works.”
Another major award, the Ian De La Rue Community Leadership Award, went to well-known Warburton couple, Ben and Ruth Aldridge recognising their efforts in keeping the town free of rubbish for more than a decade and for their outstanding leadership by example.
Mr and Mrs Aldridge said they felt they were just the tip of a very large volunteer iceberg in Warburton.
“We’re privileged, but would like to accept it on behalf of all the volunteers, because they are the people who make so many things around Warburton run.”
He said they were collecting 80 per cent less rubbish now than when they started.
“That’s not because we preach about it, we’ve just done it and people have seen that and responded,” he said.
He said they were particularly pleased with the change around the skate park which for a few months after it opened lived up to some of the worst expectations of some community members.
“We went past most days of the week and young people saw us and today you can go four or five days without picking up one piece of rubbish there,” he said.
“If young people are given some leadership, given a good example, they will follow.
“I’m convinced of that,” he said.
See page 2 for more on the Australia Day awards.
