Ballina Shire’s Citizen of the Year was recently announced as Joel Taylor. A Lennox local since birth, Mr Taylor has made quite an impact in the world of surfing and beyond.
Originally a professional bodyboarder in his teens and twenties, Joel Taylor’s career took an unexpected turn due to a spinal cord injury at the age of 21. His passion for the ocean never waned however, leading him to embrace parasurfing after two decades.
Within just 12 months of his return to the water, Mr Taylor achieved remarkable success. He secured the Australian Para Surfing Title, earning him a spot in the ISA World Para Surfing Championships. His resilience and determination culminated in him being crowned the 2023 ISA World Para Surfing Champion in the Men’s Prone 1 Division.
Ballina Council says this achievement is not just a personal victory, but an inspiration to many, with his contributions also extending beyond his personal achievements. As the founder of Unite Clothing in 2004, Mr Taylor has been actively supporting bodyboarding worldwide. His commitment to promoting bodyboarding associations ‘fosters a deep love for the ocean within the community’.
Other awards
Young Citizen of the Year went to Lucy Trease, for her volunteer work and support for evacuation centres during the flood emergency, as well as her coaching. Joint winners of the Senior Citizen of the year were Dr Colin MacDonald, for his medical and volunteer work, and the CWA’s noted volunteer Yvonne Scarrabellotti.
Joint winners of Volunteer of the Year were Ivan Leahy, for his diverse community service in Ballina and overseas, and Ken Delany, a dedicated volunteer with Ballina Marine Rescue for over fifteen years.
Community Events of the Year were shared by Purple Friday (Rotary Club of Ballina on Richmond) and Cherry Street Sports Club, for their work raising awareness about domestic and family violence.
The Sporting Achievement Award went to Lennox Beach Line Dancing, and the Arts/Cultural Award went to Ballina Players with the Environmental Award taken out by the Wildlife Twins, Bridget and Sophie Thompson.
Seventeen new Australian citizens were also welcomed to Ballina on Australia Day, including people from the USA, Bolivia, UK, Italy, Thailand, Denmark, Brazil, Philippines, and Vietnam.
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Twelve Northern Rivers residents are celebrating the completion of a groundbreaking program designed to build essential skills and unlock employment pathways for women in civil construction. With local government meeting practice across the state returning to confusion following the NSW Legislative Council's recent decision, Ballina Shire Council's last meeting included a lot of unanimous decisions and an argument about the remnants of the Big Scrub, in which Mayor Cadwallader used her casting vote to squash Cr Simon Chate's motion. Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has approved Ballina Shire Council's application to increase its general income through a permanent special variation (SV) of 26.25% [in rates] over four years, from 2026-27 to 2029-30. Byron Greens members could expect to be asked to take the future of the Richmond River further south into account when choosing a candidate for next year’s state election. Local business owners in the Alstonville and Wollongbar townships are being encouraged to take the time to read through Ballina Shire Council’s draft plans, which are currently on exhibition.
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