Collie community commends “everyday heroes” at Australia Day celebrations

The Collie community abided by the strict mask mandate and came out in droves to support fellow community members at the 2022 Australia Day celebrations. Collie Shire president Sarah Stanley gave the key address at the event, saying the people of Collie were “lucky to be part of a community full of everyday heroes”. “Today is a day to reflect on what it means to be an Australian, to celebrate how lucky we are to live in this beautiful country with the freedoms we enjoy, and to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution that every Australian makes to our nation and our community,” she said. “We celebrate our shared Australian culture, we recognise the beauty of our country and that we all have a duty to conserve it for future generations.” Cr Stanley presented the shire’s annual Australia Day awards, handing each recipient a trophy hand carved by the Collie Men’s Shed. The Citizen of the Year award went to Mark Paget for his work on the Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre, Collie Community Radio and the 2020 Labour Day Festival. Liam Shepherd was named Young Citizen of the Year for his resilience, leadership and volunteer work with the Collie Swimming Club and the not-for-profit group he helped found, Heart Hub South West. The Environmental Award went to Carol Gale for her commitment to the Tidy Towns committee and her work cleaning up the road to Worsley, and the Community Award went to the Collie Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, which responded to more than 110 emergency incidents during 2021.