Australia Day award winners announced

Published on 21 January 2022

Apsley resident Rob Carberry is West Wimmera Shire’s Australia Day citizen of the year.

The award will be presented to Mr Carberry at Apsley’s Australia Day celebrations on Wednesday.

Other Australia Day award winners include senior citizen of the year Annie Osborn, from Edenhope; event of the year Kaniva A & P Society’s Melbourne Cup tour; and community group of the year Edenhope’s men’s shed.

Mayor Bruce Meyer said Council had an extremely high calibre of nominations to choose from this year.

“We have so many outstanding people in our communities doing amazing work,” he said.

Cr Meyer said Mr Carberry was a deserving winner of the citizen of the year award.

“He is involved in many sporting clubs and community committees in Apsley,” he said.

“He is described as a pillar of the community, and someone who has a positive rapport with everyone he meets.”

Over the years, Mr Carberry has been involved with the football club, golf club, tennis club. He is involved in the RSL, organising all Anzac Day and Remembrance Day events. He is an Edenhope Hospital board member, Apsley Recreation Reserve committee member, and has been Apsley Progress Association president for more than 20 years.

He is a Justice of the Peace, and helped organise many celebrations, concerts, reunions and fundraisers over the years.

The senior citizen of the year award was won by Edenhope’s Annie Osborn. Mrs Osborn is involved in many health and sporting organisations in the town. She is an Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital board member and registered volunteer, a regular blood donor

Mrs Osborn is the leader of Edenhope Sing Australia, and she is involved with the bowling club, hockey club, probus club and the lions club. She also knits beanies for KOGO (Knit One Give One), which distributes beanies to people in need.

Cr Meyer said Ms Osborn was a wonderful contributor to the Edenhope community and was always looking for a way to help others.

The event of the year is the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, hosted by the Kaniva A & P Society. In July, the Victorian Racing Committee bought the Melbourne Cup to Kaniva. For the event, the society organised an afternoon tea and a formal dinner.

The community group of the year is Edenhope Men’s Shed, which provides a creative outlet and a good place to chat for many men in the town.

Cr Meyer said all the of winners made enormous contributions to the shire.

“Our shire would not function without the work of all of these tireless volunteers who put so much time and effort into making our communities great,” he said.

“Both our citizen of the year and senior citizen of the year volunteer with many different groups and organisations. The Kaniva A & P Society and the Edenhope Men’s Shed also rely heavily on volunteers to run.

“We thank all these people for the amazing work that they do in our shire.”

Cr Meyer said all winners would be formally recognised at Australia Day ceremonies on Wednesday.

Winners will receive a framed certificate, and lapel pin.