2022 Australia Day Awards - Honour Roll

Kerry Reid is a wildlife rescuer, who through her gentle attention and dedication, has helped many sick, injured, and abandoned animals, nursing them back to health to be released into the wild.

Passionate about caring for wildlife, Kerry has rescued animals for organisations such as Wildlife Victoria and the Wildlife Rescue & Information Network, along with answering calls for help from shire residents, vets, local police, and Council.

Day or night, Kerry can be relied upon to go above and beyond to assist with wildlife rescues, using her own equipment and vehicle, and offering her precious time freely.

Kerry has a wealth of knowledge about the requirements of caring for our local wildlife, and we’re thankful for her ongoing efforts and commitment to caring for sick, injured, and orphaned animals. Kerry – you’re a wildlife superhero!

Billy Lister is an emerging community leader, with a vision to make the shire a better place for young people.

With a wealth of volunteer experience under his belt, including Council’s Youth Advisory Group, Young Markers Market, COscars Youth Film Festival, and much more, Billy is an ideas man who’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and make positive change happen.

Whether he’s galvanising local youth to take part in a working bee at his local high school, or advocating for change to local and state governments on the behalf of his peers, Billy’s a smart, driven and caring young man who devotes a considerable amount of time to community engagement programs. Oh, the places you’ll go Billy!

A compassionate and community-minded individual, Kelly Skinner is a whiz when it comes to pulling together an event.

Kelly brings a tireless, generous and calm manner to her role in managing the popular Newstead Live Music Festival, along with skilfully steering the ship of many other music and community events in the region. On her watch, events are organised with the enjoyment of the entire community in mind, with her efforts providing a much-needed financial boost for local musicians and other performance artists.

Kelly is also a funeral celebrant, considerately and kindly facilitating the celebration of dearly departed loved ones. Her expertise in this area is in high demand, as she creates a safe space for individuals and community to express grief in a way that is witnessed, honored and shared.

Gold Sounds Music Conference brought together the Victorian regional music community for three days in November 2021.

The conference supported venues, young people, musicians and the region’s music industry, to develop necessary skills, networks and strategies to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, and carry that increased capacity into the future.

Gold Sounds Music Conference was beneficial to young people as it provided them with new skills and professional development opportunities. It also strengthened existing links and community connections between young people and the wider community, and provided support when establishing relationships between like-minded people.

The conference is currently working on improving accessibility at local venues and supporting their applications for funding to install new infrastructure to support physical access.

Image: Australia Day Award winners, from left to right – Billy Lister, Youth Citizen of the Year, Kerry Reid – Citizen of the Year, Mount Alexander Shire Mayor Bill Maltby, Kelly Skinner - Senior Citizen of the Year, Fionna Allen, representing Gold Sounds Music Conference - Community Event of the Year.

Photo credit: Diana Domonkos.