This year has been a rollercoaster and our Sunshine Coast community has truly shown strength and compassion. We’ve seen and heard many incredible stories of ingenuity, selflessness and giving, which is why the 2021 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards will be so special.
If you know someone in our community, or a community group or organisation making a difference to our Sunshine Coast, help them to achieve the recognition they deserve by nominating them for an award today.
Nominations close on November 16.
Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said there was no doubt this had been a challenging year for us all so what better way to lift someone’s spirits than by nominating them for a Sunshine Coast Australia Day Award?
“The Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards celebrate the achievement and contribution of individuals and community organisations across our healthy, smart, creative region,” Mayor Jamison said.
“We’re looking for everyday people as nominees.
“They don’t have to be famous to be nominated for our Australia Day Awards.
“We want to honour the unsung heroes in our community.”
Nominations can be made in one of the following categories:
- Citizen of the Year, sponsored by 7 News Sunshine Coast
- Senior Citizen of the Year, sponsored by Maroochy RSL
- Young Citizen of the Year, sponsored by MixFM
- Community – Group or Organisation, sponsored by Sunshine Coast Daily
- Environment, sponsored by Living Smart Sunshine Coast
- Creative, sponsored by TAFE Queensland
- Sport and Recreation, sponsored by Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Mayor Jamieson said an Outstanding Achievement Award would also be presented at the 2021 awards.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has seen many people go above and beyond to support our community and the 2021 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards will look to recognise those special people,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“The Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Sunshine Coast Lightning, will be presented to one community member or organisation selected from all award nominations received across each of the categories.
“So, have a think about those people or organisations making a difference in your community and nominate them.
“It’s really easy and a great way to say thanks.”
For inspiration, the 2020 award recipients were:
- Mark Forbes, our Citizen of the Year who founded endED, a Sunshine Coast service that now provides nationwide support to people with eating disorders and their families.
- Ella Woodborne, our Young Citizen of the Year who founded the Grammar Green Team that teaches others about the planet, its animals, plants, its strengths and weaknesses.
- Mark Skinner, our Senior Citizen of the Year who is chairman of The Board Meeting Surf Charity which raises funds to help local kids with disabilities and their families.
- Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge, our Community Group or Organisation with 250 volunteers who have been caring for cats and dogs, seven days a week for 40 years.
- Emeritus Professor Jennifer Radbourne, our Creative Award recipient who has been supporting, promoting, mentoring, planning and helping the Sunshine Coast arts and creative sector to grow.
- Ten Little Pieces, for Environment and Sustainability, founded by Alison Foley to encourage everybody to make a difference to their environment by collecting ten little pieces of rubbish whenever they can.
- Joint Sport and Recreation recipients Robert Angus from Nambour Little Athletics Centre, and Brendan Powell and Scott Park from Queensland Oztag.
Nominations for the 2021 Sunshine Coast Australia Day Awards close on November 16, 2020. You can nominate online via council’s website.
Sunshine Coast Australia Day Award 2021 recipients will be announced at a special ceremony to be held on Friday, January 22, 2021.
