Scenic Rim's Australia Day Awards nominations a shout out for quiet achievers

Quiet achievers and unsung heroes of the Scenic Rim have received a shout out from the community through nominations for Council’s 2022 Australia Day Awards.

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the Australia Day Awards provided an opportunity to shine a spotlight on those who frequently work behind the scenes without reward or recognition for the benefit of their communities.

“Once again, the Australia Day Awards nominations highlight the outstanding contribution of community champions and quiet achievers who make our region such a great place to live and raise a family,” he said.

“Many have worked year-round over many decades, and often in challenging circumstances, to make a positive contribution to community life.”

Members of the community submitted a total of 27 nominations for the 2022 Scenic Rim Australia Day Awards, in the categories of Community Event of the Year, Citizen of the Year (16 to 30 years), Citizen of the Year (31 to 65 years) and Citizen of the Year (65+ years).

“I am grateful for everyone who has taken the time to nominate individuals and community groups they considered well worthy of recognition,” he said.

“My congratulations to all of those nominated, who should be proud of the part they play in our communities.

“They set an example of service that should inspire us all, whether through local service organisations or sporting groups, or simply by being ready to lend a helping hand to others in need.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to remind us of the importance of community connections and looking out for others in the best traditions of mateship that we celebrate each year on Australia Day.”

Due to concerns over the growing number of COVID cases, the Australia Day Awards ceremony has been postponed, with a revised a date to be announced shortly

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Community Event of the Year

Annual Carols in Jubilee Park
An annual event led by Rotary, Carols in Jubilee Park brings the community together to celebrate the season of good will and fellowship.  The 2020 carols followed a year of COVID-19 lockdowns, which brought uncertainty, isolation and anxiety to the community.  However, the collaboration of Rotary and other Beaudesert service clubs including Lions, Zonta, the CWA and Beaudesert Scouts, as well as local businesses, created a safe and joyous event tor all ages and abilities.

Peak Crossing State School 150th anniversary
Peak Crossing State School’s sesquicentenary brought the school and wider community together in celebration of the achievements of students, teachers and volunteers. Held on 4 September 2021, the celebration marked the 150th anniversary of the school which had opened on that day in 1871 with just 32 students and one teacher. The event welcomed 1500 people from across Queensland, including a 100-year-old past pupil, Joan Bradshaw.

Turning Canungra Pink
Now in its 10th year, the Turning Canungra Pink community event in October has grown from strength to strength, raising more than $60,000 in spite of the challenges of COVID-19. Fundraising to provide financial, emotional and physical support to community members impacted by cancer brings the Canungra and wider Scenic Rim community together annually in a celebration of community spirit.

Citizen of the Year (16 to 30 years)

Cameron Mansfield
Cameron’s involvement with the Canungra Owls began as a six-year-old in the Under 11s team, which won the soccer club’s first-ever grand final. Since taking on the role of Club President in 2020, Cameron has inspired others to step up and volunteer. Leading by example, he has brought older members back to the club and brought new members into the fold.

Clea Pratt
Musician Clea Pratt has not only built an impressive fan base through her profile on Triple J, but also put the Scenic Rim on the map by featuring its stunning scenery in music clips for her second album. Clea's success and drive provide a source of inspiration for other young emerging artists in the region. With her partner Ali, she has set up a recording studio in Coulson, attracting high profile Australian acts and raising awareness of the Scenic Rim as a creative space.

Citizen of the Year (31 to 65 years)

Suzanne Bauer

Teacher Suzanne Bauer’s commitment to the Boonah community extends well beyond school hours. She is a dedicated volunteer at her local library and keenly promotes local events and businesses. During COVID lockdowns, Suzanne turned her talents to making her own school lessons and reading to her students on facebook. As a member of the Boonah Community Band, she contributes to Christmas parades and at events which bring the community together.

Andrew Buchanan
Andrew has provided stable leadership, steering the Rathdowney and District Memorial Grounds Association through difficult times - drought, flooding of the arena, major safety upgrades, COVID lockdowns and restrictions – during the past two years.  Many of the activities and projects Andrew has championed will benefit the community for years into the future.

Wes Bust
Salvation Army Corps Officer Wes Bust was nominated for his tireless community work during the 2019 bushfires and the hail and wind storms which impacted the Fassifern community. He is regarded by many as the epitome of the Australian character, always ready to help others in need, and is involved in numerous community organisations including as a member of the Rural Fire Brigade and President of the Boonah District Chaplaincy Committee.

Brenda Dalby
Brenda Dalby’s contribution through numerous groups has put her at the heart of the Canungra community and she is known as someone always ready to lend a hand. She is a volunteer for the Canungra Owls Soccer Club, running fundraising events, and supports others by baking for families impacted by trauma or illness. Brenda’s playing of the bagpipes adds a special note to Canungra’s ANZAC Day services and, as a wildlife carer, she is on call 24/7 to help members of the community with wildlife rescues.

Susie Fenton
Susie Fenton’s nomination celebrates a remarkable teaching career of more than 30 years, 25 of which have been in the Scenic Rim. She was a foundation member of the teaching staff at Tamborine Mountain State High School and has touched the lives of thousands of young people in the community. Her enthusiasm and her development of fun, motivational lessons and resources have inspired many of her students to succeed in high school and beyond.

Jamie Ferrar
After losing her five-year-old daughter, Charlee, to brain cancer, Jamie Ferrar has gone on to raise more than $100,000 for childhood cancer research. Jamie’s bravery and strength of character through challenging times have inspired her community of Kalbar, where she is Treasurer of Fassifern Lions. Jamie is keen volunteer at all Lions events in Kalbar, ensuring their success.

Jon Durand
Best known as Jonny, Jon Durand is a national and world hanggliding champion who has set multiple world records. His spirit and passion for his sport has inspired many in the community and he has helped countless people to become better pilots, not only in hanggliding but also in paragliding. Jonny’s focus is on safety and for all members of the flying community to be respectful of each other.

Shaun Kemp
After surviving a major accident, disability pensioner Shaun Kemp has overcome his own difficulties to help others in the community. Along with his mother, he established a roadside stall to provide food to residents in the Warrill View area during COVID-19 and distributes food parcels to those in need. A poultry breeder and member of two local clubs, Sean has been a keen supporter of local shows.

Linda Mahaffy
Linda Mahaffy’s nomination for an Australia Day Award recognises her efforts to promote Scenic Rim businesses, tourism and local events. Linda has overcome a number of medical issues to inspire others in the community through her social media pages which, during the past five years, have attracted more than 7,400 followers. She has become a point of contact between businesses, individuals and local organisations which have benefited from her unpaid promotional activities.

Graham Stumer
Graham Stumer has been an active and valued member of the State Emergency Services (SES) Boonah Group for more than 37 years and is currently the Deputy Local Controller. His strength of character and dedication are appreciated, not only by his SES colleagues, but also by representatives of other agencies which rely on his extensive knowledge of local mountain terrain, particularly during activations. Graham is also a member of the Boonah Show Society, Fassifern Shooting Club, Lutheran Church and volunteers his time to assist with the maintenance of the Templin Historical Village.

Rhonda Thorpe
After beating breast cancer 12 years ago, Rhonda Thorpe has become a strong supporter of the Cancer Council, walking in the Relay for Life, selling daffodils for Daffodil Day, hosting high teas and playing tennis as charity events, and helping to light up Beaudesert in shades of pink or blue to raise awareness of women’s and men’s health. In 2020, Rhonda received a Wright Community Contribution Award for her 10 years of service to the Cancer Council. She also volunteers at the Beaudesert Tennis Club and is known for her ready willingness to help others.

Citizen of the Year (65+ years)

Janis Bailey
Janis Bailey’s energy and enthusiasm have contributed to the strength and vitality of a wide range of community groups including Tamborine Mountain Arts Collective, Tamborine Mountain Historical Society, Tamborine Mountain Little Theatre, Lions, Landcare, Mountain Mates and Calanthe Collective and Press. Janis channelled her grief following the passing of her son, Alan, into establishing Mountain Mates, which provides inclusive opportunities for young adults with disabilities. She is regarded by many as a role model for her kindness and humility.

Susan Cully
Susan Cully has inspired community members to get involved in caring for the environment and, since taking on the role of President of the Beechmont District Landcare Association in 2018, has seen the organisation grow from 13 to 40 members. During this time, she has almost single‐handedly sourced and administered grants to revegetate Beechmont Pioneer Reserve, Gwingana Reserve, Windabout Reserve and Arkoona Timbarra Reserve. Susan has been recognised by her efforts at a time the local community faced the challenges of drought, bushfire and COVID-19.

Sandra Evans
Sandra Evans stepped into a part‐time volunteer role as a driver with Tamborine Mountain Community Care in November 2003 and, 18 years later, had clocked up 138,904 kilometres between almost every hospital and medical centre between Tamborine Mountain, Beaudesert, Ipswich, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. She is now a favourite volunteer driver among many of community care’s clients and also volunteers at the mountain’s aged care facility, Roslyn Lodge. Sandra’s cheerful and generous spirit is appreciated by many in her local community.

Janice Heit
Janice Heit has long been known for her visits to elderly residents, many of whom are Vietnam veterans, in the Beaudesert Area, not only brightening their day with her presence but also bringing a lunch or dinner for them to eat. More recently, she has gone the extra mile, assisting the Beaudesert Historical Society to raise funds by approaching businesses for donations for a big Christmas raffle. An inaugural member of the Beaudesert RSL Ladies Auxiliary, Janice is a widow of a veteran and actively supports Legacy Widows.

Ross and Beryl Martin
Ross and Beryl Martin are regarded as highly valued members of their community who go above and beyond to help others. For many years they have volunteered their services, as proprietors of a public address system business, to ensure the success of community events. Their contribution to the Rodeo Association, and other local organisations, is appreciated by many in the Scenic Rim community.

Wilson Neuendorf
Now well into his 80s, Wilson Neuendorf continues to work to foster community spirit, improve local infrastructure and community amenities, celebrate and retain local history, encourage co‐operation and friendship and welcome new residents and businesses to Boonah, Kalbar and the wider Scenic Rim community. Wilson served two terms as a Boonah Shire Councillor and has been a driving force behind numerous organisations including the Kalbar Progress Association, Kalbar Credit Union (now Kalbar Bendigo Community Bank), Templin Museum and Kalbar Baptist Church.

Maxine Platell
Maxine Platell’s Australia Day Award nomination recognises a lifetime of service to others, beginning as a prefect at Beaudesert State High School in 1967 and continuing since her retirement from teaching. She is a valued member of the Beaudesert Hospital Auxiliary, St David’s Anglican Church Rathdowney, the Rathdowney Hall Committee, the Boonah Op Shop and the Rathdowney Information Centre. As well as her dedication to community volunteering, Maxine has been a single foster parent since 1997 and continues to provide weekend or respite care to young people in need.

Barbara Proudman
Barbara Proudman was a member of several dance companies that performed and toured throughout New South Wales with the New South Wales Regional Arts Council. She also toured Europe with a United Kingdom-based dance troupe before moving to Tamborine Mountain, where she ran the Tamborine Mountain Dance School from 1986 to 2001. Since 2001, she has been the owner and manager of the Tamborine Times newspaper and has been a keen supporter of the arts, festivals and community events including ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day commemorations. In 2021, Barbara received a Lions Club Community Volunteer Award.

Judith Roland
Judith Roland’s contribution to Landcare during the past 20 years has seen the regeneration and preservation of rainforest and the removal of invasive weeds from more than 15 sites across Tamborine Mountain. While she could be enjoying retirement and pottering in her own garden, Judith continues to work to return the mountain to its natural beauty for locals and visitors to enjoy. She established the volunteer-run Piccabeen secondhand bookshop, which raises funds for Landcare.

Ailsa Rolley
A long-term member of the Beaudesert Historical Society, Ailsa is currently the secretary of Scenic Rim Writers Inc, having served as the group’s inaugural president. She has a been longstanding volunteer at The Centre Beaudesert during the past 25 years, most recently contributing to the Scenic Rim Story Trails Project, and has written a number of books recording the history of people and places around Beaudesert.

Valerie Wiseman
Valerie was seen as a Beacon of hope in 2020 during the emergence of COVID-19, with her roadside stall outside her Warrill View home providing food from the Ipswich Foodbank for the needy and those unable to travel to shops for supplies. She has continued to provide this service to the community and has since installed a refrigerator to keep foods fresh. Valerie has inspired many in her community with her courage to fight back from a major car accident.