Everyone is invited to Australia Day celebrations

2025 Citizen of the Year Award

National award-winning horticulturalist, Brent Whiter is an active community member of the Bega Valley Shire who has generously shared his passion for, and knowledge of, plants and gardening with the broader community for 40 years.

Brent is the inaugural patron to the Merimbula and District Garden Club, He has written articles for PIP Magazine, a permaculture and sustainability publication, and is known as the voice of Gardening Talkback on ABC South East NSW Radio.

Brent takes great pleasure in imparting his knowledge at local Garden Clubs across the region.

Brent enjoys helping local kindergartens and schools to inspire a love of nature and gardening from a young age. He has helped many local schools to set up their Indigenous or sensory gardens.

After the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires, Brent actively supported affected communities by giving talks and advice on resurrecting gardens after a bushfire. He supplied lemon trees to households in Mallacoota and gave generous discounts to bushfire-affected people who wanted to start their gardens again. Upon hearing about the koalas in Mallacoota not having eucalypts to come back to, he sourced and donated trees for a local to plant.

Brent works closely with Aboriginal elders from Twofold Aboriginal Corporation and Jigamy Farm, sourcing plants for them and freely pruning their fruit trees when requested. He also helped Uncle Noel Butler, Budawang Elder of the Yuin Nation South Coast NSW and his wife Trish, who had to re-establish their own gardens after the fires at their property which are used for cultural purposes.

Brent was in his element at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in 2023 and 2024, where he was part of the panel on the main stage for gardening questions from the public.

Brent is very much focused on making gardening easy to achieve and fun to do. He says no question is dumb or silly and thrives on offering his advice at his Garden Centre, on the radio or via email or mobile phone.

Brent is overwhelmed and honoured to be receiving this award for simply doing what is his passion, living and breathing all things flora.

2025 Senior Citizen of the Year Award

Bob Weston is a retired school teacher who at 88-years-young, is still nurturing young minds through the joy of reading.

For more than 16 years, Bob has been a beacon of inspiration and a pillar of our community. Every week, without fail, he arrives at St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Bega with a warm smile, and creates a welcoming and encouraging environment where students feel valued and motivated to learn.

Bob’s contributions go far beyond the act of reading. His patience, kindness and genuine interest in each child's progress have made a significant impact on their educational journey.

Bob’s sincere engagement with the learners and timely positive commentary to each of them, has not only enhanced students' literacy skills but has also fostered a lifelong love of reading.

Bob’s volunteering experience began at the tender age of six, when he became an altar boy. Volunteering was just part of what his family did, and he continued to volunteer wherever he lived at the time.

At the conclusion of primary school, Bob was awarded a NSW 6^th Class State Bursary which paid for his secondary school fees and travel. He was then awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship, which paid for his Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture at the University of Sydney.

As Bob felt very fortunate for his educational experience, he volunteered his services to the Thornton Progress Association and numerous other good organisations, such as Meals on Wheels and the Rural Fire Service.

Exemplifying the spirit of selflessness and service, Bob demonstrates that age is no barrier to making a meaningful difference. His unwavering commitment and outstanding service over the years have left an indelible mark on our community.

Photo credit: Craig Bryant.

2025 Young Citizen of the Year Award

Joshua Payne is 23 and supports his community by volunteering for various groups within the Eden community.

His volunteering interests are broad, and he approaches every project or service with enthusiasm and energy.

Joshua has been a regular at Eden Library for the last two years, always keen to offer help with setting up and packing up at the programs and events he attends, which includes Scrabble, Upcycling Sewing, Crafternoon, and Words and Music and Board Game days.

He is particularly keen on special offerings in arts and crafts, such as painting, candle making and book beads, and sells his crafty creations at the Eden Community Market.

Joshua enjoys singing in the local Eden Choir, which most recently sang Christmas carols at residential age care home, Uniting Eden. The camaraderie he has developed with the senior choir singers has led to Joshua now accompanying some of them on dog walking activities.

For the last three months, Joshua has also been volunteering at 2SEA southern community radio playing modern country songs on Tuesdays.

Joshua is at the heart of many community events and is much loved around Eden. He has a friendly, smiling presence and his enthusiastic take on life is inspirational to everyone who knows him.

2025 Bega Valley Medallions

Joanna Oastler

Jo Oastler has been volunteering with the Sapphire Community Pantry in Bega since 2017.

She has been a dedicated and consistent volunteer who is always helpful, friendly and reliable.

Jo has also been a volunteer at Candelo Public School and St Patrick’s Primary School supporting literacy and numeracy skills in the classrooms.

She is a tutor at the Here 2 Help Adult Literacy program and is planning to start mentoring for the Bega Valley L2P Learner Driver Mentor Program.

Veronica Williams

Although Ronnie Williams is CEO of Support Services 2 You, which supports clients who require home care and disability services, she personally goes above and beyond her job description.

Ronnie has provided free end-of-life care to her organisation’s clients, consulting with their medical team, relaying information to their families, providing practical help and staying overnight with them at the hospital if their families can’t be by their side.

She has supported clients’ families, offering her expertise and knowledge of government and non-government programs and helping them get through the difficult period after their loved one dies.

Ronnie has been available to these people and their families at all hours, helping with transport, accommodation, meals and groceries, all in a non-intrusive, culturally appropriate and compassionate way.

Nicole Bray

Nicole Bray has volunteered with the Eden SES for 32 years, dealing with everything from road crash rescues to land searches, staffing the duty phone and ensuring her colleagues are fed and hydrated on the job and during training exercises.

She has been awarded the Australian National Medal, which recognises long and diligent service by members of recognised organisations that help the community during times of crisis.

Nicole has also been the School Crossing Supervisor at Eden Public School for 10 years.

Mary Pearce

Mary Pearce celebrated 50 years of teaching last year and has taught hundreds of students throughout her career.

Mary’s love and enthusiasm for her students, for teaching and public education has never diminished, as she continued to work casually throughout the shire after retiring in 2008.

As accomplished ballroom dancers, Mary and her husband trained debutantes and their partners for local Masonic and Anglican Debutante Balls for many years, as well as a Tulgeen Debutante Ball.

In acknowledgement of the assistance she was given by Legacy as a child, Mary is a lifelong supporter and has also been a volunteer.

Mary’s community volunteering endeavours have also extended to Rotaract, the Bega Show Society, Pony Club and Poultry Club.

Ann Haig

Ann Haig has been an active contributor to the community in the Bega Valley for 26 years.

As a member of the Pambula Merimbula Golf Club, Ann has been a passionate volunteer, decorating the clubhouse for special events, baking slices for special event morning teas and selling raffle tickets.

At 90 years young, she is a member of the Golf Club garden group, volunteers at the Pambula Op Shop, raises funds for Motor Neurone Disease, helps sew costumes for the Spectrum Theatre Group and was involved in the Relay for Life walk for cancer at Pambula Football ground.