Our Central Goldfields Shire Australia Day celebration was held in Maryborough earlier today, Monday 26 January.
The event included the announcement of our 2026 Central Goldfields Shire Australia Day awards along with a Citizenship Ceremony to welcome 13 new citizens.
Our 2026 Australia Day award recipients are:
Citizen of the Year – Nick Weaver
Motivated by the loss of his father, John Weaver, to pan creatic and liver cancer in 2017, Maryborough resident Nick Weaver has become a tireless advocate for cancer awareness and local cancer care.
His fundraising journey began in 2018 through Relay for Life, where he pushed himself to extreme physical limits to raise over $40,000 across two years.
Determined to make a direct impact on his community, Nick shifted his focus to supporting the Maryborough District Health Service Oncology Unit. In 2022, he spearheaded a wellbeing expo and the now-iconic Full Monty fundraiser at the Maryborough Highland Society. Through relentless community engagement, local business support, and media promotion, Nick has helped raise nearly $190,000 - almost double his original goal.
These funds enabled the purchase of a permanent mammography unit, removing barriers of distance and access for local women.
Nick's "nothing is impossible" attitude continues to inspire, and his efforts have created lasting benefits for the health and wellbeing of the Maryborough community.
Young Citizen of the Year – Harriet Thoroughgood
Harriet is an admirable and community-minded young person who has made an outstanding contribution to the Central Goldfields community.
She demonstrates strong leadership, compassion and a genuine desire to help others, making her a positive role model for her peers and younger community members.
Harriet has been actively involved in Girl Guides for more than six years, achieving the Queen's Guide Award, the high est honour in Guiding. This required extensive community service, leadership of programs for younger Guides and the organisation of a two-day hike in the Brisbane Ranges. Since turning 18, she has continued her commitment as an adult volunteer, supporting younger members with a calm, empathetic leadership style.
Beyond Guiding, Harriet volunteers at her local dance school, Toy Library, Energy Breakthrough and Castlemaine Girl Guides, and provides mentoring support to students at Highview College.
Her dedication, organisational skills and environmental awareness reflect her passion for making a positive and lasting impact on her community.
Community Award of the Year – Goldfields Community Festival
The Goldfields Community Festival is a valued, family-friendly event in Maryborough and continues to grow as a celebration of community connection.
The 2025 festival successfully brought together residents from all walks of life, showcasing local community groups, not-for-profit organisations, street food, arts and crafts.
Over two days, large crowds enjoyed diverse performances, multicultural food, craft stalls and interactive activities, with strong engagement throughout.
The event provided an important platform for community groups to promote involvement and volunteering.
Its success reflects the outstanding leadership of Kerrie Dowling and the Committee for Maryborough, who delivered a vibrant, inclusive festival that strengthens community cohesion and is becoming a cornerstone of the Shire's annual calendar.
Township Australia Day award recipients
Australia Day events were also held in the townships of Bealiba, Carisbrook, Daisy Hill, Dunolly, Talbot and Adelaide Lead.
At some of these community-run Australia Day events, additional community members were also acknowledged with awards.
We congratulate all of our Australia Day award recipients and thank them for their contribution to making our Shire a wonderful place to live.
New Australian Citizens
As part of the event, Central Goldfields Shire welcomed 13 new Australian citizens. Congratulations to our newest Australian citizens:
- Conor Downey – United Kingdom
- Chandrika Edayath Madhavan Nair – India
- Kemoy Ellis – Jamaica
- Brent Freeman – New Zealand
- Philippa Freeman – New Zealand
- Paula Galeano-kilmaster- Colombia
- Iris Galeano-kilmaster – Colombia
- Alison Hinze – New Zealand
- Edward-Dominyk Hinze – New Zealand
- Logan-Gerald Hinze – New Zealand
- Edward Gerald Hinze – New Zealand
- Sony K C – Nepal
- Elmer Pasatiempo - Phillipines
