Waranga Citizen of the Year: Gavan Poole (front) and wife Edith with their two daughters Felicity Hall and Rebecca Threlfall, along with grandchildren Sally Hall, Lucinda and Ivy Threlfall and Lenny Hall.
Gavan Poole’s family knew exactly what buttons to push when they convinced him to attend the Waranga Shire’s Australia Day ceremony in Stanhope last Thursday.
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They told the long-time community volunteer that he needed to attend to accept an award on behalf of one of the many community groups he is involved with.
It was, however, Mr Poole himself who was the recipient of an award — the Waranga ward’s Campaspe Shire Citizen of Year title.
“I've been conned to be here,” he said, when warm applause encouraged him to the lectern to accept the honour.
“I was told I had to receive an award on behalf of another organisation,” he said.
Mr Poole, who has half a century of involvement with Stanhope’s major sporting organisations to his credit, said he considered two of the most important things in life to be education and involvement in sport.
He said two of the young men who had spoken before him at the ceremony, Michael Keegan from Stanhope and Rushworth’s Josh Francis, were evidence of just how important a role sport played in personal development.
“Both those boys have grown up in sport. I've always held the opinion that sport can develop people’s life skills,” Mr Poole said.
“I've had some great mentors in my life and most have come through sport.”
Mr Poole is a celebrated administrator of sporting groups and has been chariman of the recreation reserve management committee since 1987 — having joined the group four years earlier.
He is a former Heathcote football/netball league president and first held the post of president at Stanhope football club in 1973, at just 26-years-old.
He has been treasurer of the club an amazing 18 times and has gained both state and national recognition as a recipient of the VCFL administrator of the year and Australian sports medal.
Young Citizen of the Year, Josh Francis, was introduced by secondary school principal at Kyabram P-12 — Louise Mellington.
Group of the year: Campaspe Shire Deputy Mayor Colleen Gates, and Waranga ward Councillor Adrian Weston bookend members of the Community Group of the Year, John and Lorraine Warde and Jan Smith, all leading figures of the Girgarre Development Group.
“Josh is a real all-rounder and we selected him as the winner of last year’s Long Tan leadership award,” Ms Mellington said.
He not only volunteers at Rushworth Football Netball Club, but is a winner of the club’s junior clubperson award and has won several individual awards as an athlete.
“He is fast tracking a VCE subject and is is a real leader among his peers at Kyabram,” she said.
Girgarre Development Group claimed dual titles as the Waranga ward and Campaspe shire Community Group of the Year.
It is the umbrella group for several town committees and the organisation behind which those same communities have united to have a shared vision for the town.
The group started 19 years ago, determined to see Girgarre live on after a series of closures and the reduction in dairy farms impacted the region.
“We now have a cheese factory, a major agricultural business, along with the solar farm. None of us could ever have hoped for the outcomes that we have had,” committee member Jan Smith said.
“It shows how little communities can achieve something by doing it for themselves.”
Developing the Girgarre monthly market into the largest in the Campaspe region and in turn providing operational funds for several groups, continuing to stage the January Moosic Muster and maintaining the town hall, along with taking the lead role in the Gargarro gardens development are just a few of the feathers in its cap.
The group supported the kindergarten when faced with closure and also helped to develop a walking track to Stanhope in partnership with Stanhope community.
Waranga ward councillor Adrian Weston presented the awards and also recognised winners of the school and kindergarten colouring competitions.
Josh Francis (front) after being named Waranga’s Young Citizen of the Year, alongside grandparents Les and Elaine Francis (left), siblings Liam and Emma (holding the famiy dog Freya), parents Peter and Amy, grandparents Jill and Ian Harris, along with uncle Rod Woolley after receiving the award.
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