Decades of service to the community and young people leading in their fields have been recognised by council in its 2020 Australia Day awards.
Thirteen community members and a community group received Australia Day awards and Certificates of Recognition at a ceremony held at the Montrose Town Centre on Sunday 26 January.
Mayor Richard Higgins congratulated the award winners, all of whom have shown passion, commitment and care for others in their professional, academic and personal lives.
“If you ask people what they love about the Yarra Ranges, the answer is usually, and rightfully, that the people and the sense of the community is one of our greatest assets,” Cr Higgins said.
“Reading the nominations and hearing about the extraordinary people we have in our communities, you absolutely have to agree with that.
“In this year’s awards list, we have people like Dick Leith, who has volunteered in various roles for more than 70 years and even dug the original hole for the Warburton swimming pool, where the Warburton Recreation Precinct is being constructed now.
“Our Young Citizen of the Year is Jayden Crozier, a young Aboriginal man who has received multiple awards for educational and sporting achievement, studies law, politics and international relations and has interned with the United Nations in Geneva.
“Our Young Environmental Achievers this year, The Platypulse Project Team, is a group of students who, with the Yarra Ranges Tech School and Melbourne Water, created a digital sensor which monitors water quality in the Monbulk Creek to ensure the water is safe for platypus.
“These are just a few examples of the incredible people we have who live, work, play and volunteer in the Yarra Ranges, and our environment, our community groups and the community as a whole is better for having them here.
