Spirit of Australia Abounds in the City of Melville

A highlight of the event was the announcement of the City of Melville 2009 Citizen and Community Group of the Year, in conjunction with the Premier’s Australia Day Active Citizenship Awards (winners listed below). His Worship the Mayor Russell Aubrey also welcomed 36 new Australians during the citizenship ceremony.

The event included free face-painting, a balloon race, a boomerang throwing demonstration, a performance by the Leeming Community Band, and the Bull Creek-Leeming Guides and Scouts’ guard of honour for Mayor Aubrey.

Mayor Aubrey said he thanked everyone who helped make the event a success for their support and hard work, including Cr Rasa Subramanium OMA, JP. “Cr Subramanium is a key organiser for the Lions Club and has been involved in organising every breakfast for the past 10 years,” he said.

“It was a true community event, which fittingly showed the spirit of Australia and its people. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to publicly acknowledge remarkable citizens and groups, who make our City great to live, work, play and do business in. It was an absolute privilege for me to welcome 36 new Australians; no doubt these residents are proud to be officially known as ‘Aussies’. Regardless of background, Australian citizens have full and equal membership of our society, including all the legal and political responsibilities accompanying such a status,” he said.

The 2009 Australia Day Active Citizenship Awards went to:

2009 Citizen of the Year – Margaret Kingsbury

Margaret Kingsbury was nominated for her passionate volunteer work in a number of sectors including the environment. Margaret has worked for many years with the Leeming Residents Group on environmental and conservation projects and over the past four to five years has worked tirelessly as a volunteer with the Friends of Piney Lakes Reserve in Murdoch. In this capacity she has been part of the Quenda research team with Murdoch University. She also initiated the Night Walks at Piney Lakes, where young and old were able to observe animals at night in their natural habitats. Margaret has also been an active volunteer with the Melville Volunteer Resource Centre and the School Volunteers Program.

2009 Community Group of the Year – The MORE Community Group

The MORE Community Group is an active group of volunteers that banded together to encourage the Melville Council to purchase the old Melville Primary School site and increase the public open space in this neighbourhood. They continue to play a role as a strong link between the community and the Council and manage a building on the primary school site for the benefit of the community. The group is planning programs during 2009 with and for the community.