Australia Day Awards 2024

The Awards will be presented at the Australia Day Award Ceremony on Friday, 26 January 2024.

Award Categories

• Citizen of the Year
  • Significant contribution to the community
  • An inspirational role model for the Australian community
  • Has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the welfare and wellbeing of the community, that have short- or long-term benefits for others
  • Impact on the Muswellbrook community
  • Open to people 25 years of age or older as at 26 January 2023
• Young Citizen of the Year
  • Significant contribution to the community
  • An inspirational role model for other young Australians in the local government area
  • Has shown achievements in community activities, academic, sporting, personal, cultural, environmental and / or social responsibility
  • Impact on the Muswellbrook community
  • Open to people 24 years of age or less as at 26 January 2023
• Open Award
  • Significant contribution to the community
  • An inspirational role model for other Australians in the local government area
  • Has shown achievements in community activities, academic, sporting, personal, cultural, environmental and / or social responsibility
  • Impact on the Muswellbrook community
  • Open to people 24 years of age or less as at 26 January 2023
• Sports Team
  • Significant contributions to the nominated sporting field and or met a community need
  • Demonstrated achievements as a sporting group
  • The team displays qualities such as fair play, integrity, respect within the team and or opponents
  • Activities and contributions were achieved on a voluntary basis or exceeded the normal requirements
  • Open to all sporting groups
• Services to Sport
  • Impact of their support and services to sport in the community including encouraging membership and participation in their sporting field
  • Demonstrated that their service has made a difference in the lives of others and to the sport over a number of years
  • Personal effort had made a lasting and significant difference to the sport and club operations and/or met a community need
  • Activities and contributions were achieved on a voluntary basis or exceeded the normal requirements
  • Open to members and supporters of sporting clubs
• Senior Sports Person
  • Demonstrated excellence in their field and/or outstanding sporting achievement including representing their sport at local, state, national or international level
  • Displays the qualities and have conducted themselves in the spirit of fair sportspersonship, fair play, respect and integrity
  • Displays inspirational leadership, energy and enthusiasm in their sporting role including the ability to motivate and inspire others
  • Years of service to the sport and sporting community
  • Open to people 17 years of age or more as at 26 January 2023
• Junior Sports Person
  • Demonstrated excellence in their field and/or outstanding sporting achievement including representing their sport at local, state, national or international level
  • Displays the qualities and have conducted themselves in the spirit of fair sportspersonship, fair play, respect and integrity
  • Displays inspirational leadership, energy and enthusiasm in their sporting role including the ability to motivate and inspire others
  • Open to people 16 years of age or less as at 26 January 2023
• Sustainability Award
  • Has made a significant contribution to the short or long-term sustainability of the shire
  • Anyone that has shown outstanding performance or has achieved, invented or has shown innovative skill in any agricultural field with the Muswellbrook Shire
  • Open to groups and individuals
• Arts and Culture Award
  • Significant contribution to arts and culture in the community
  • Demonstrated excellence or emerging talent in their field including music, dance and the arts
  • The impact their contribution and achievements have made to the arts and cultural life in the community and beyond
  • Has encouraged community building and participation, is an inspiration to others and has raised awareness about the value of arts in the community
  • Has shown achievements in activities which promote cultural inclusion and diversity
  • Open to all cultural groups and individuals
• Northoak Agricultural Award
  • Significant contribution to the agricultural industry
  • Anyone that has shown outstanding performance or has achieved, invented or has shown innovative skill in any agricultural field within the Muswellbrook Shire
  • Open to groups and individuals

Eligibility Criteria

• Nominees must be Australian Citizens and must reside within the Muswellbrook Shire Council region.
• Contribution by an individual or group to the Muswellbrook Shire region to be voluntary and unpaid and may be of general or specific nature.
• Nominees must have contributed significantly to the community, in any field considered appropriate.
• Nominees must demonstrate active concern for the rights, welfare, wellbeing and/or advancement of others and be able to display leadership, innovation or creativity in their activities.
• Unsuccessful nominees may be re-nominated in subsequent years, by filling out a new nomination.
• A person cannot receive a second award in the same award category but can be considered for recognition in a separate category in following years, e.g. Young Citizen of the Year and then Citizen of the Year.
• The nominee must not be a Member of Parliament.
• Nominations could include a photo if appropriate and a 100 word summary of the person or activity and at least two referees from different perspectives of the applicant’s achievements. Referees may be contacted by the Australia Day Nominations Committee of Council as part of the decision making process and at least one referee should have a good knowledge of the nominee’s key area of activity.
• The ADN Committee reserves the right to obtain more information about each person from whatever source appropriate.
• The decisions of the ADN Committee shall be final, and no correspondence will be entered into on the subject of decisions made.

For more information, visit Muswellbrook Shire Council.