With Australia Day just a few days away, Collie is set to recognise the people who have given their time to positively influence the community at the annual Citizen of the Year awards.
The morning will begin with the annual parade of award nominees along Forrest Street at 7.30am.
The annual award ceremony will then begin at 7.45am, with Collie’s citizens of the year recognised.
There are 10 nominees for the four awards this year, with four nominations – Ian Bushell, Pusky Crescenzi, Hamish and Dot Pipe, and Jeff Needham – for the citizen of the year award.
After the ceremony, the Lions Club of Collie will be cooking up an Australia Day breakfast in the park, while the Collie Mineworkers Memorial Pool will have free entry all day.
With the long weekend ahead, Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray, Premier Coal and Collie Police are reminding the community that entering Lake Kepwari is strictly prohibited due to safety risks and the site being on an active mine lease..
The full nominees for the Shire of Collie’s Australia Day awards are:
Citizen of the Year
Ian Bushell
Born and raised in New South Wales, Ian moved to Collie over 40 years ago after being transferred by Coles to become the new manager.
With his wife Judy, they have owned local businesses and Ian worked at Worsley for 30 years.
During his time at Worsley, Ian introduced the Ruggies Recycling project to the refinery. By the time he retired in 2012 the project had donated over $500,000 to the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
As deputy chairman of the Collie Mining Heritage Group Ian became involved in many projects and is still working towards the restoration of the Roundhouse and other heritage sites.
Ian is an active member of the Lions Club of Collie where he sits on the board of management and is the coordinator of the annual Christmas Pageant, a successful and popular event that continues to thrive under his leadership.
Ian was deputy chairman of the Collie River Valley Marketing Group, where he was instrumental in the upgrade of the Harris Dam recreation area and was also a driving force behind the video project to promote Collie as a tourist destination.
Ian was the project manager for the Menshed project, and was the Menshed coordinator for the first two years of operation. He now spends time there helping wherever he can to make sure it remains the success it has become.
Pasquino Crescenzi
Pusky is an active member of the Collie community and has volunteered in a variety of roles.
He is currently the captain of the Collieburn-Cardiff Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade and apparatus officer for the Collie Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service.
For approximately 33 years Pusky has volunteered for the bush fire brigade, as well as volunteering for eight years with the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service and six years as a volunteer ambulance member.
He has also worked on the emergency response team at Muja Power Station.
Pusky is an advocate for teaching children about fire safety and regularly visits local schools to spread the message.
Jeffrey Needham
Jeff Needham was instrumental in the formation of the Leg Ulcer Clinic, the Save Eyesight school program and the restoration of the Ewington School.
He also helped set up the adult literacy program in 1986 and is still tutoring 32 years later.
Jeff has held every position in the Lions Club of Collie, including long serving posts as president, secretary, bulletin editor and chairperson for the Ewington School Board.
A hardworking member for over 45 years, Jeff is always available to work at Lions Club projects including the Christmas Pageant, the Collie Show and the Australia Day breakfast.
A Melvin Jones Fellow (the Lions Club’s highest award), a life member and a WA Lions Hall of Fame inductee, Jeff’s lifetime of volunteering and commitment to the Collie community has been invaluable.
Hamish and Dot Pipe
Both Hamish and Dot have been volunteering in Collie for many years.
They both drive and deliver for Meals on Wheels, they are long time Cheerio Club supporters and have been involved with the Veteran Car Club for more than 30 years, where they have both held many roles.
In 2017 they joined the Coalfields Museum as volunteers and have dedicated two or three days a week to the repair, restoration and cataloguing of the museums exhibits and artefacts.
Hamish is the current vice-chairperson of the Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Committee, a member of the planning group, cataloguing assistant and principal renovator of the display areas.
Dot is the current day manager, responsible for the day to day running of the museum, as well as the assistant principal cataloguer, museum guide and researcher.
The overall contribution that Dot and Hamish have made and continue to make to the museum cannot be underestimated. They are passionate about Collie’s history and are warm and welcoming to all at the museum.
Young Citizen of the Year
Hayden Barber
Hayden first came to the Coalfields Museum in 2017 for the induction program and has been a constant volunteer since.
Despite his tender age of 17, at the time he came with a wealth of knowledge as he is a keen collector of bottles, number plates, signs and boxes, among other things.
Initially he was responsible for assisting in the identifying and displaying of the bottle collection which is now named and displayed at the museum.
Hayden also sorted through the large collection of number plates, allowing the museum to evaluate those that have significance to Collie.
Because of his vast knowledge in his chosen fields, Hayden was asked to join a selected group of experienced valuers brought together from Perth and the Southwest to value items brought forward by the public at the Antiques Roadshow as part of Festiv Arty 2018.
Often volunteering is the domain of older people and retirees, it is rare to encounter a young person with the depth of knowledge and passion that Hayden has.
Connor Watts
Connor is an active member of the Collie community.
He has volunteered as a coach and umpire with the Collie Basketball Association, where he took the time to mentor those around him and worked to make the game accessible and inclusive.
He was also involved with the Collie Senior High School ANZAC tour group of 2017 and had a hand in many activities that benefitted the community.
Connor had a responsible job at the Collie Mineworkers Memorial Swimming Pool where he mentored those around him before he went on to train as an Austswim teacher, displaying the patience and knowledge makes him a success in this field.
Connor’s academic, sporting and leadership has made him a valuable member of our community.
Community Group of the Year
The Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre Inc.
The Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre Inc. has achieved a remarkable makeover of the museum this year, so much so that it contributed to Collie being a state finalist in the Tidy Towns Heritage and Culture Award.
First as a transition committee, and from July 1, 2018 as an independent incorporated body, the committee has undertaken projects to clean exhibits, paint and repair display areas and formalise the cataloguing of artefacts.
Volunteers have undergone training to properly handle items and they have restored confidence in the people of Collie to donate important memorabilia, preserving Collie’s history for the future.
More than 60 volunteers have contributed 6,240 hours during the year, in a range of roles from manning reception, greeting visitors, guiding groups, cataloguing countless items and restoring and building displays.
The committee is now working towards extending the building and improving the entrance to allow better access for all.
Collie PCYC
Collie PCYC works closely with the Western Australian police to deliver structured, tailored and engaging programs to the youth of Collie in a positive and safe environment.
Through recreational and specialised programs, Collie PCYC continues to build a great relationship with the local community which enables it to plan around the community’s needs.
Collie PCYC has a qualified case manager on-site for people in need of support and guidance. The centre is a safe environment where young people can come and chat about any issues they may be dealing with and receive help and support.
Collie PCYC, through the new “StreetGym” program, caught the attention of Gymnastics Australia and was given the national launch of the new “FreeG Kids” program.
Collie PCYC then went on to host the first “FreeG/ Streetgym” competition in the state.
The successful gymnastics and air rifles programs have consistently produced state level competitors.
The “Safe Space” program has doubled the number of youth attending in less than a year showing the positive and safe environment provided are valued by those who need it most.
Environmental Award
Friends of the Collie River
The Friends of the Collie River is a subcommittee of the Rotary Club of Collie.
Working alongside the shire and community members over the past year, the group undertook extensive work to revegetate sections of the Collie River, planting some 10,000 seedlings.
The Friends of the Collie River group has encouraged participation from youth groups and schools in its activities, spreading the caring for our environment message and educating for the future.
The work undertaken by this group reflects the concern for the environment shown by the Rotary Club of Collie and helps improve and rehabilitate Collie’s waterways for all residents.
Geoff Wilks
Geoff’s care for the environment is shown in his ongoing involvement in caring for our community, where as a member of the Friends of the Collie River group he has been part of tree planting and river rehabilitation work.
Geoff collects rubbish and litter from the main business areas on a regular basis whilst out walking his dog.
He will also report on anything that will impact on the environmental condition of the town to the relevant authorities.
Through his work with the Access and Inclusion Committee, Geoff has been involved in making Collie’s parks and gardens accessible for all, creating a safe environment for all residents.
