Don Southwell admitted he took his time to find Crookwell.
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After 30 years ensconced in the town, he was more than glad he did, as he accepted the town’s Citizen of the Year award at Friday’s Australia Day celebrations in Robertson Park.
“When Moses led the children of Israel out of the wilderness looking for the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey, he stopped after 40 years,” Mr Southwell told the crowd.
“Mistake...He never reached Crookwell. Crookwell is the land of opportunity. It’s the opportunity to help others and be helped by others.”
Mr Southwell was honoured for his “outstanding contribution” to the community through many organisations, including the Men’s Shed, Probus, Crookwell Rotary, the Crookwell Amateur Dramatic Society and more.
In his speech, Mr Southwell said the award recognised the groups that had “taken the opportunity to care and share for our community..”
He told The Gazette he was passionate about the Men’s Shed, which had done an enormous amount for men’s welfare.
“Words cannot express the gratitude in my heart for my wife, Beryl, my loving partner for over 60 years, and for you, all my friends,” he said.
Twenty-year-old Crookwell man, Bailey Anderson was named Upper Lachlan Shire’s young citizen of the year for his support of charitable organisations. Most recently he raised almost $6000 for the Lions’ Save Sight Foundation – placing him among the top three fundraisers in the State.
Bailey said the cause was close to his heart. He has a lazy eye himself, but his grandmother, Jackie Anderson also had a cornea transplant. Bailey, who is also a pool attendant at Crookwell and Gunning, was able to see where the money was spent.
“It was just amazing where it went,” he said.
“They were able to buy a machine that cut down corneas to a certain micron.”
Bailey said he couldn’t have done it without the Lions Club’s support, which he branded an “amazing team.”
Other Crookwell awards were:
- Young citizen of the Year – Annie Croker and Gemma O’Bien – members of Crookwell High School’s student representative council who oversaw several events in 2017.
- Event of the year – Crookwell Garden Festival – a major annual event that draws 1500 visitors to the town.
Gunning’s Keith Brown was named Upper Lachlan Shire’s citizen of the year for his contribution to preserving the area’s history. Last year he published By the Community, for the Community – a history of Crookwell/Taralga Aged Care. He also wrote The Day that Dunkley Died and Where the Wagons Went, about the inns and innkeepers from Breadalbane to The Gap on the Old South Road.
The Taralga Art Show took out the Shire’s event of the year.
Elsewhere, Ann Darbyshire won Gunning’s Citizen of the Year for her community involvement, while Brian Corby took out the same gong in Taralga.
Gunning’s young citizens were Leigh Hickey and Guy Southwell for their advocacy for the town’s skate park. Emmalee Croker received Taralga’s young citizen award for her contribution to hockey.
The Gunning and Fish River 85th anniversary celebration was named that town’s event of the year, while the Taralga junior rodeo took out the equivalent award.
Voice of Rugby drops in
Upper Lachlan’s Australia Day ambassador Gordon Bray proved a popular speaker at Crookwell’s celebrations.
The long time sports broadcaster well remembered the town, having visited in 2014 when the community turned out to welcome home Commonwealth Games gold medal winning Hockyroos players, Emily Smith and Kellie White, in a street parade.
“I vividly recall how all of the shops decorated their fronts with salutes to celebrate the amazing achievements of these hockey players who had grown up together in this town, honing their skills in Kellie’s backyard where her dad, Des had set up a goalie cage for goal shooting,” Mr Bray said.
“I also remember Kellie’s words at that time: ‘The people of Crookwell are real country people and fighters. I think that’s in our spirit. We’re all each other’s mates and when the tough times come, we stand up. I think that comes across in our sport as well. Everyone at a young age plays sports and they’re usually team sports.’”
Mr Bray said Crookwell and district had been a nursery for the sport, producing 23 Australian representatives.
“To my knowledge, that figure on a per capita basis is unprecedented,” he said.
Not only had Crookwell produced the Hockyroos captain in Smith, but now the Australian Indoor Women’s hockey captain in Shelley Watson.
“As someone who has covered sport for 50 years, it’s a special treat for me to come here with my wife, Cathy, and experience a great bush sporting nursery where parents encourage their children to be involved, to enjoy the outdoors in the company of their mates, where youngsters get to understand the spirit of competition and teamwork and learn that hard work and dedication is the pathway to achieving your goals,” Mr Bray said.
While in the area, Mr Bray took the opportunity to pass on his congratulations to Australia Day AM recipient, Simon Poidevin on his honour.
He told The Gazette Mr Poidevin did a great deal behind the scenes for rugby and charity and was “a very caring and selfless person.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled he received that award,” he said.