Bunbury community members honoured in annual Citizen of the Year awards at Graham Bricknell Music Shell

Valued members of the Bunbury community were honoured at the citizen of the year awards on Australia Day at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell. In addition to the annual prizes awarded to the Bunbury citizen of the year, community group of the year and young citizen of the year, a new award named the legacy award was presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Bunbury over many years. Mayor Jaysen Miguel hosted the ceremony along with member for Bunbury Don Punch and retiring member for Forrest Nola Marino. Liberal candidate for Bunbury Heather Reid also attended. Rhonda Norman— a proud Noongar Wilman elder— was named as the citizen of the year for her contribution to the community through her work and volunteering since she moved to Bunbury in 1982. Mrs Norman has had a distinguished career in the Australian Public Service and currently works in the Education and Health Departments and serves on the Aqwest board of directors. She told the Times she felt very proud to be honoured by the community. “I feel very humbled to be citizen of year,” she said. “I do the work from the passion and love for my people— the Noongar people— but also for the wider community, educating the community. “I mentor so many people and just for them to acknowledge me for that is overwhelming.” Mrs Norman said she had mixed emotions given the significance of the day—which is referred to by many Indigenous communities as Invasion Day or Survival Day. “We are one, we are Australians and to make this a better place, we all have to work together but also acknowledge the true history and then you can walk side by side with each other,” she said. “This was our place first, you know, and it’s mixed emotions because I know how much harm and the hurt and healing that needs to happen, but it’s got to come from all of us, and we all have to have an understanding.” The community group of the year award went to Bunbury Community Closet which hosted a second-hand clothing market in November, selling pre-loved garments and accessories with a focus on sustainability and connection. Sheldon Collard— a proud Noongar man—was awarded the young citizen of the year prize for his exceptional dedication and leadership within his school community at Newton Moore Senior High School. The inaugural legacy award was presented to Tom Dillon for his dedication to community development in Bunbury. From the speedway, to the Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell and the Bunbury Geographe Motor Museum, the former councillor and deputy mayor has spent his life creating and protecting some of the city’s iconic sites. In addition to the awards ceremony, 39 people from 13 different countries were officially presented with their Australian Citizenships by Mr Miguel.