Citizen of the Year Awards
Recognising our outstanding citizens
The Citizen of the Year Awards are presented by the Australia Day Council of South Australia and administered by local councils on their behalf.
Nominations are now closed for City of Prospect’s 2024 Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Active Citizenship and Community Event of the year.
Each year we acknowledge and celebrate remarkable individuals and groups who do exceptional things for our community. If you know someone making a real difference, we encourage you to put them forward for the Citizen of the Year Awards.
Each council seeks nominations in their local area, with the award recipients announced in the lead up to or on Australia Day.
The Awards reward and recognise individuals and organisations that have made a noteworthy contribution during the current year, and/or given outstanding service over a number of years, to a local community over and above normal employment duties.
Outstanding contribution and community service includes areas such as education, health, fundraising, charitable and voluntary services, business, sport, arts, the environment, or any other area that contributes to the advancement and well being of a community.
Nominating someone who makes a real difference in your community gives them the opportunity to be rewarded and recognised for their important voluntary contribution.
The Australia Day Citizen of the Year Awards gives the opportunity to recognise someone who makes a difference in their community across four major categories:
Award Categories
Citizen of the Year
This is presented to the most outstanding citizen during the past year. To be eligible, the person must be an Australian Citizen.
Young Citizen of the Year
This is presented to the most outstanding Young Citizen during the past year. To be eligible, the person must be an Australian Citizen under 30 years of age on 26 January of the year of award.
Community Event of the Year
This is presented to a person or group who has staged the most outstanding community event during the past year.
Active Citizenship
This is presented to a person delivering outstanding work for an event or cause, staged in the community during the past year.
It is not a requirement that the individual resides in our city. The focus is on the contribution to City of Prospect’s community (e.g. an individual may live in a neighbouring council but has made a significant contribution within City of Prospect).
Nominations closed Friday 10 November 2023.
For more information contact our Volunteer and Community Programs Coordinator on (08) 8269 5355 or email admin@prospect.sa.gov.au
2024 Recipients
City of Prospect’s 2024 Citizen of the Year recipient is Andrew Ganczarczyk
Andew was presented this award for his work with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). Due to the cost-of-living crisis, there are many families experiencing financial stress and many families have benefited from the Kindness and Health Matters program. This program assists in alleviating the demands on limited budgets and food support. Addressing the needs of the community, Andrew initiated and established a food distribution centre/pantry and mobilised his volunteers to assist with a weekly food parcel and delivery service. The program has expanded to a more comprehensive and holistic approach and now runs regular free health checks engaging professionals i.e. doctors, nurses in the program. Andrew and ADRA’s efforts have gone beyond mere aid provision; they’ve established a robust support system that fosters community engagement, sustainability, and ongoing assistance for those in need.
City of Prospect’s 2024 Young Citizen of the Year recipient is Fern Bridges
Fern is a valued member of the Prospect Arts Action Network (PAAN), a group of local artists who support the operations of City of Prospect's Newmarch Gallery. Fern is an invaluable resource to the Gallery, giving time and expertise in the selection of exhibition applications and to the biennial Prospect Portrait Prize. At just 20 years of age, Fern is the epitome of an outstanding volunteer for City of Prospect, who genuinely cares about the importance of the arts and the wellbeing of our local community. It highlights a unique and selfless drive to contribute to the success of Newmarch Gallery.
City of Prospect’s 2024 Active Citizenship Award recipient is Anneke Hoffman
Anneke is a professional local artist who has created many mosaic tiled stobie poles throughout Prospect. The stobie pole artworks are a wonderful example of her dedication to making a difference to the aesthetics of Prospect and we believe she has created a sense of community and public interest as residents often remark of the pleasure of walking along streets where these stobie poles are located.
We want to thank all the nominees for their support and contribution to our community, and we look forward to formally acknowledging them during National Volunteer Week in May.
2024 Citizen of the Year Awards Night
On Tuesday 23 January we met in the Newmarch Gallery to formerly recognise the recipients of the 2024 Citizen of the Year Award.
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City of Prospect Citizen of the Year Honour Board
2023
Citizen of the Year – Nola Bellenger
Young Citizen of the Year – Amelia Smith
Community Event of the Year - Santa's coming to Prospect
Active Citizenship Award – Eleanor Larwood
2022
Citizen of the Year – Jim Fergusson
Young Citizen of the Year – Inika Weber
Community Event of the Year - no award
Active Citizenship Award – Lewis Saint
2021
Citizen of the Year - Chris Whiteside OAM
Young Citizen of the Year - Dylan Lo
Community Event of the Year - no award (due to Covid-19 in 2020)
Active Citizenship Award - Alex Chu and Cameron MacGillivray
2020
Citizen of the Year - Robert Roocke
Young Citizen of the Year - Max Weir and Charlotte Crosby
Community Event of the Year - Broadview Football Club
2019
Citizen of the Year - David Kilner
Young Citizen of the Year - Darcy Maney
Community Event of the Year - Fourth Annual Great Ukulele Picnic
2018
Citizen of the Year - Dr Robert Irving
Young Citizen of the Year - Claire Sander
Community Event of the Year - Clifton Street Party
2017
Citizen of the Year - Kay Seear
Young Citizen of the Year - Megan Davies
Community Event of the Year - Federation of Indian Communities SA
2016
Citizen of the Year - Pat Brierly
Young Citizen of the Year - Sophie Harris
Community Event of the Year - Prospect District Cricket Club
2015
Citizen of the Year - Audrey Hale
Young Citizen of the Year - Justin Bussell
Community Event of the Year - Rotary Club of Prospect Pit Stop Event
2014
Citizen of the Year - Dilip Chirmuley
Young Citizen of the Year - Eleni Glouftsis
Community Event of the Year - Prospect Group – Amnesty International
2013
Citizen of the Year - Frank Scicluna
Young Citizen of the Year - Christopher Campbell
Community Event of the Year - no award
2012
Citizen of the Year - Lindy Neilson
Young Citizen of the Year - James Peter Owen Hunt
Community Event of the Year - no award
2011
Citizen of the Year - Peter Loan
Young Citizen of the Year - Michelle Keech
Community Event of the Year - Prospect-Blair Athol Lions Club
2010
Citizen of the Year - Susan Wells
Young Citizen of the Year - Madeleine Piochaud
Community Event of the Year - Nailsworth Church of Christ
2009
Citizen of the Year - Keith Seeary
Young Citizen of the Year - Teresa Deng
Community Event of the Year - Friends of the Prospect Library - Annual Book Sale
2008
Citizen of the Year - Bette Crouch
Young Citizen of the Year - Inno Bigga
Community Event of the Year - ICC Reconciliation Cricket Tournament
2007
Citizen of the Year - Jon Harmer
Young Citizen of the Year - Olivia Catalano
Community Event of the Year - no award
2006
Citizen of the Year - Anne Haskard
Young Citizen of the Year - Mathew Hutchinson
Community Event of the Year - no award
2005
Citizen of the Year - Junice Cooper
Young Citizen of the Year - Osama Malik
Community Event of the Year - Nailsworth Church of Christ
2004
Citizen of the Year - Ray Haynes
Young Citizen of the Year - Kate Mitchell
Community Event of the Year - Aust Plangon Antique & Modern Doll Collectors Club Inc
2003
Citizen of the Year - Heather Tralaggan
Young Citizen of the Year - Sam Harris
Community Event of the Year - Nailsworth Primary School
2002
Citizen of the Year - Valerie Collins
Young Citizen of the Year - no award
Community Event of the Year - no award
2001
Citizen of the Year - Michael Kain
Young Citizen of the Year - no award
Community Event of the Year - no award
2000
Citizen of the Year - Lesley Clark
Young Citizen of the Year - Michael Woods
Community Event of the Year - Blair Athol Lions Club
1999
Citizen of the Year - Henrietta Zoontjens
Young Citizen of the Year - Laura Christy
Community Event of the Year - no award
1998
Citizen of the Year - Betty Tothill