Cardinia Shire honouring the best and brightest

Australia Day 2023 Award winners shown proudly accepting their awards. Picture: SUPPLIED

Cardinia Council has announced the nominees of the Cardinia Shire Australia Day Awards for 2024.

Winners and nominees will be announced and celebrated at an invitation-only ceremony on Thursday 25 January at the Cardinia Cultural Centre in Pakenham.

This year’s Citizen of the Year nominees are Chris White, Garry Oates, Graham Cockerell, Jarrod Beaumont, Liz Roberts and Patrick Noonan.

This year’s Senior Citizen of the Year nominees are Colin Teese, Graham Simpson, Gwendoline (Anne) Dunn, John Beavis, John Glazzard, Dr Mary Cole and Dr Pat Macwhirter, while the Young Citizen of the Year nominees are Ella Chawkley and Louisa Zanin.

This year’s Event of the Year nominees are the Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre (AWBEC) 40th Commemoration of Ash Wednesday, the Cannibal Creek Landcare Community planting day, Gembrook Community Market, Pakenham Welcomes 2023 and the ​​​​​​​Upper Beaconsfield Village Festival.

Connecting Cockatoo Communities is hosting free Australia Day community morning tea and awards will be held from 8.30am to 10am at the Alma Treloar Reserve in Cockatoo.

In Kooweerup, the Kooweerup Township Committee will be hosting the Australia Day community breakfast and awards event from 8.15am to 10am at the Kooweerup Community Centre.

The Lang Lang Australia Day committee is hosting its ceremony from 9.30am at the Lang Lang Hall.

For more information about Australia Day events, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/australiaday