Almost 400 people attended the delayed presentation of Australia Day awards and citizenship ceremony last Saturday at Murwillumbah Civic Centre.
The official event had been scheduled for Australia Day at Tyalgum, which was postponed due to heavy rains and flooded roads.
The recipients of the Tweed Shire Australia Day Awards were: Doreen Welsh (Citizen of the Year); Rosie Kahl (Young Achiever); Pottsville Beach Public School musical (Arts and Cultural Achievement Award);
Kane Townsend (Sporting Achievement Award Individual); Kingscliff High School’s 17-19 years male 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay team (Sporting Achievement for Team); Tweed Valley Equestrian Group – Power of Pink Dressage (Community Event of the Year); Claire Chauvier and Georgina Harbottle (Academic Achievement Award); John Lee (Volunteer of the Year).
The awards were presented by mayor Barry Longland and the chair of the community-based Tweed Shire Australia Day Committee, Don Beck.
Forty Tweed residents originating from 16 countries were also presented with their Australian citizenship.
Five of the eight district Australia Day committees also made their award presentations.
One young winner was Sheridan Gorton, an outstanding 16-year-old golfer who was presented the Murwillumbah Individual Sporting Achievement Award. Sheridan won the Mt Warning Classic by 15 shots, the Open Championship by 41 shots, the junior northern area competition, came 5th in the state for her age group, 10th in international competition for her age group, and reduced her handicap from 13 to 1 during the year.
