Due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time, the usual Australia Day celebrations on the Bellerive Boardwalk were postponed this year and were instead incorporated into council’s National Volunteer Week celebrations.
The joint event, dubbed the Clarence Community Spirit Gala, took place on Tuesday 17 May 2022 at Blundstone Arena and welcomed over 100 volunteers, award nominees, special guests and council Alderman.
Learn about the wonderful achievements that each of the 2022 City of Clarence Australia Day Awards nominees and winners make to our community through a range of endeavours.
Citizen of the Year 2022
Winner
Ian Marmion
Ian has been heavily involved in the Clarence community for many years through a number of different organisations.
He has been a scout leader for 20 years, achieving the Silver Wattle Award in 2020 for Exceptional Service to Scouting in Tasmania.
He is heavily involved in Volunteer fire fighting, the SES, and has been a volunteer Ambulance officer, often in conjunction with his role as a Parks and Wildlife officer.
In 2019 he received a Churchill Fellowship looking at sustainable Tourism Practises.
Ian has been an amazing role member for hundreds of young people over his years at the scouts both at a local level and more widely around the district and has inspired many with his kindness, patience, and dedication to and vast knowledge about our natural environment.
For many decades, Ian’s leadership, integrity, and willingness to help those around him have made a vast and far-reaching effect on an immeasurable number of people in Clarence, both in emergency response and in the day to day kindnesses that encourage others to have a go and believe in themselves.
Nominees
- Noela Foxcroft
Noela has been a stalwart of the South Arm Peninsula, continually seeking to protect and enhance the social, cultural, recreational and environmental aspects of her local community. - Linda Nicholson
Linda works tirelessly in her community as an active member of the Clarence Plains collective impact initiative One Community Together. - Ross Dippie
Ross has donated over 2000 volunteer hours as part of the Clarence Community Volunteer Service including gardening, shopping, transport and befriending. - Jay Chipman
Jay established Homely Retreats, a not for profit organisation that provides a much needed service that fills a gap in respite services available to cancer patients and their families. - Jo Cook
Jo Cook began TRED (Tasmania Recovery from Eating Disorders)10 years ago so as to help those many families suffering from eating disorders. She has been an inspirational help to the many hundreds of young men and women who suffered from this horrific disorder. - Lynne Beck
Lynne has been a president and secretary of the Bellerive Community Arts Centre since 2017 going above and beyond to ensure the organisation goes from strength to strength. - Keren Franks
Keren is a passionate advocate for inclusion and recognising people of all abilities. She is a founding director of Young Leaders Of Tasmania and inaugural CEO, establishing, project managing and operating the organisation in a volunteer capacity before being granted state government funding in August 2018.
Senior Citizen of the Year
Winner
Margaret Bird– Margaret was a founding member of Council’s Positive Ageing Advisory Committee (CPAAC) since its inception in 2007. After fourteen years, Margaret recently resigned from the committee to focus on spending more time with her family, however her involvement over the years far exceeds the expectations of a volunteer. Margaret was instrumental in assisting council to apply for and be awarded, Age Friendly City and Community status under the World Health Organisation (WHO) Age Friendly City and Community Global Network in 2014. Margaret is a strong advocate for intergenerational activities and worked together with Council’s Youth Network Advisory Group (YNAG) on the Our Shared Space Program, as well as championing many other such programs over the years. Over the years Margaret has presented at and facilitated workshops in multiple settings both around Tasmania as well as interstate on behalf of council and her critical policy advice and consultation experience has supported the development of Council’s three Positive Ageing Plans since 2007.
Nominees
- Joan Griffiths. Joan is nominated for long-standing commitment to the South Arm Community and her 18 years as President of the Calverton Hall Committee.
- Reginald Watson Reginald is nominated for his contributions to the community through his writing, historical research and his involvement in various historical societies.
- Merilyn Bedelph Merilyn is nominated for her commitment of 14 years to the Clarence Community Volunteer Service, donating an impressive 1600 hours of her time to the Clarence community.
- Lisa Green Lisa is nominated for her contribution and efforts in helping search for ‘Snoopy’ the dog who went missing from Hobart Airport last year, Lisa organised a search party to help find the missing pet which resulted in Snoopy being found and returned to their owner.
- Noelene Heaven Noelene is nominated for working selflessly and tirelessly for her community all her life, from involvement in parents and friends school associations in the 60s and 70s through to many decades actively involved in community groups and church groups.
Young Citizen of the Year
Winner
Nayton Mortelli– Nayton is an integral part of local advocacy group, Youth Network Advisory group (YNAG). Nayton is incredibly active in identifying and providing solutions to youth related concerns in the Clarence Plains area and is also a part of the Youth Advisory Committee where he meets with Aldermen from Clarence City Council.
As well as being an active member of his school health and wellbeing group, Nayton works tirelessly for others in hi9s community, is always the first to put his hand up to volunteer, often gives up his free time on weekends to support YNAG events and is generally a dedicated, hardworking, kind, and compassionate individual who’s passion compassion and commitment to seeing those around him reach their full potential is inspiring.
Nominees
Jasmin Woodleigh.
Jasmin is nominated for donating her hair to Variety Hair with Heart, her involvement in her school Health and Wellbeing Team and for being a valued and active member of her school community at Bayview Secondary College.
Community Event of the Year
Winner
Clarence Plains Growers and Crafters Market
The Clarence Plains Growers and Crafters Market was started by a group of residents in Clarence Plains and has gained huge momentum, going from two monthly, to six weekly, and now monthly due to extraordinarily high demand. This excellent local initiative has grown exponentially through the efforts of the local Clarence Plains community and is also a great opportunity for local businesses and services to connect with their local community.