January 27, 2014
Yarraman celebrated Australia Day with a free community breakfast followed by the presentation of the town’s annual Australia Day awards.
A mix of local awards and awards from the Toowoomba Regional Council were distributed at the Yarraman Community Hall with Cr Nancy Sommerfield congratulating the recipients.
From noon, the Yarraman Hotel-Motel hosted a “Fair Dinkum Aussie Barbecue” to keep the patriotic spirit flowing.
[Photos: Jim Bond and southburnett.com.au]
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Yarraman – Citizen of the Year
Joe Stimpson, the chairman of the Yarraman Progress Association, was presented with the Toowoomba Regional Council award for “Citizen of the Year – Yarraman”.
The Yarraman Progress Association organises the monthly Farmers’ Markets in Yarraman and the annual Christmas carnival.
Joe also organises the movie night for children at the local school and transports and sets up marquees and barbecues for functions such as open days at Heritage House and the Colours of Yarraman festival.
He also helps with the school garden project and as nurseryman gives help and advice to pensioners and others.
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Senior Citizen Of The Year
Dale Castle was presented with the Yarraman Progress Association’s Senior Citizen of the Year award.
Dale has lived in the Yarraman community for 38 years and is heavily involved in many organisations, including the Hall Committee, Yarraman Over 50s and the Driver Reviver unit.
He attends every meeting of the Yarraman Progress Association and helps set up and pack up the monthly markets.
Dale spends every Monday at Yarraman State School helping Years 1-2 students with their reading.
He also volunteers at the Blue Light Disco and as a member of the Masonic Lodge visits masonic homes retirees and assists with general maintenance as required. He recently received the a 50-year medal.
He sings with the Yarraman Over 50s choir and also visits the respite centre. He can often be seen mowing for friends and neighbours, as well as the town hall.
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Aileen Noble Volunteer Award
Margaret McNae was presented with the Aileen Noble Memorial Shield, a local award honouring volunteers in the Yarraman community.
After Aileen Noble died in 2007, many of the organisations of which Aileen spent so much time as secretary and/or treasurer and mentor established a Memorial Shield to be awarded each year to Yarraman’s “Volunteer of the Year”.
Margaret McNae has been an active member of the Yarraman for community for nine years as a member of at least seven community organisations.
She has been secretary and/or treasurer or executive member of the Yarraman Progress Association as well as assisting on the barbecue at the Farmers’ Markets, Christmas Carnival, and Australia Day celebrations.
She assisted at the supper dance at the Centenary of Rail celebration too.
Margaret is also involved with the Yarraman Historical Society, Wild Horse FM, the Yarraman Community Hall committee and is a past member of the Colours of Yarraman Festival committee.
She is kept busy attending to all facets of local art and photography exhibitions, including getting the art stands repaired and painted, designing and printing the art awards, printing the photography awards, and collecting and returning art and photography exhibits.
Margaret has also provided input to the Yarraman Community Council, is an active member of the Yarraman Catholic community and Minutes secretary for South Burnett Community Enterprises (Bendigo Bank).
In her spare time, she drives friends to medical appointments in Toowoomba and Kingaroy, assists elderly folk who are unable to drive out of town to shop in Nanango and Kingaroy, and takes pets to vets.
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Best Event & Junior Sports Person
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The following are both Toowoomba Regional Council awards:
The award for Best Event was presented to the Yarraman Historical Society for the “100 years of Rail Open Day”, a huge day held in the grounds of Heritage House. The platform of the old railway station was used as a stage to provide music and other entertainment. There was also billy tea and damper, a model train display, barbecue and stalls.
The Junior Sportsperson of the Year (Yarraman) is Gabby Wooler.
Gabby, 14, lives on a property on the outskirts of Yarraman and attends Year 9 at Nanango High School.
She plays most sports and is a member of the BP Shield netball team. She played in the 14 years volleyball team at the Queensland School Cup where her team took home a silver medal, and she has numerous ribbons from pony club meets.
Gabby is a self-taught whipcracker and has competed three times at the Queensland titles, twice at the Australian titles in Sydney and twice at the Tasmanian titles. She conducts whipcracking demonstrations at the Yarraman Christmas Carnival, Nanango Music Muster, Kingaroy Vintage Machinery Day, Crows Nest and Goombungee shows and the Winton Outback Festival. She has scored medals at State, National and interstate competitions.
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