Congratulations to our Australia Day Award recipients
King Island Council is proud to announce the recipients of our Island’s 2022 Australia Day Awards.
Community Event or Organisation of the Year
Currie Christmas Decorations – represented by Monica Harper
Mrs Monica Harper approached Council asking permission to create some new Christmas decorations for Currie Main Street. As soon as that permission was granted Monica set to work, building a team of talented volunteers to create an extraordinary collection of decorations that thrilled our residents and visitors over the Christmas season. We thank the team who made these decorations possible, and particularly Mrs Monica Harper for her tireless leadership of this group.
Young King Island Citizen of the Year
Leada Blackie
At only 17 years old, Leada is not only managing to excel in her studies through online learning, but has sought out several roles in community activities, engaging in all of them with dedication. Leada actively seeks to build opportunity for her peers, participating in the Tasmanian Premier’s Youth Advisory Committee, and has helped to establish and run the EPIC youth group with the Island’s Anglican church. Leada is a member of the Foundations to Flourish committee and an active member of the King Island Leos, taking out the title of Tasmanian Leo of the Year at the 2021 Lions Club Convention.
In the words of her nominator, “Leada is an exceptional young lady who has contributed an enormous amount of time, talent and personality to King Island in the few years her family has lived here. The quality of character she demonstrates makes her an ideal candidate for Young Citizen of the Year”.
King Island Citizen of the Year
Amanda Gill
Amanda moved to our Island just over two years ago to take on the role of Director of Nursing at King Island Hospital and Health Centre. In that time she has overseen the refurbishment of the Hospital whilst ensuring the ongoing functionality of the facility in caring for our community. Her extensive experience of health care in a disaster management context has been unexpectedly relevant in her time on King Island, with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amanda’s professionalism and compassion has been noted by many grateful patients and their families, and Council has seen this in action in Amanda’s participation in the Municipal Emergency Management Committee.
Her nominator pointed out, “Throughout this period Amanda has managed to maintain a focus on her primary role which is to care for the health of King Islanders”. We most certainly have seen the proof of that over the last year.
You can see the formal presentation of these awards on YouTube thanks to King Island TV here.
Thank you again to each of our Award recipients, and to past Australia Day Award recipients who continue to contribute so generously to our community.