After winning the 2017 Australian of the Year Local Hero award in January, the Peter’s Project founder recommended two local residents to carry on the torch at an event in Warrnambool on Wednesday.

“I’ve nominated Matty Stewart for Australia’s 2018 Local Hero award and Tim Carlton for Senior Australian of the year,” she said.

Mr Carlton, a retired methods engineer, has been a volunteer in Warrnambool since he moved to the city from Sydney after being head-hunted by Sir Fletcher Jones in 1958.

The 97 year-old’s list of involvement in community projects is extensive.

Aside from working at Fletcher Jones for 27 years, volunteering at the Fun4Kids Festival, and winning Warrnambool Senior of the Year in 2015, the Lions club member also helped build the city’s only public swimming pool. “Yes, I was on a jackhammer back in the day helping dig out the site for the pool,” he said.

This latest nomination took Mr Carlton by surprise.

“In all the excitement I didn’t really take in what it was all about,” he said. “I’m not in this to win it, it’s an Australia-wide award, but it’s very nice of Vicki to think of me.”

Mr Carlton, originally from the UK, said it was important to immerse yourself in the community.

“In my day, you came to a town and got involved in all its happenings, you did your bit,” he said.

Ms Jellie was also full praise for Mr Stewart’s contribution to the community.

“Matty does so much for this community. He’s passionate and he really is a wonderful guy,” she said.

“We’ve spent a bit of time together lately and I’ve seen first-hand how he puts his heart and soul into the community through his various projects.”

“He’s also nearly 41 and has a young family and yet he always makes time for anyone who needs him.”

Mr Stewart co-ordinates Warrnambool’s Standing Tall, a mentoring program aimed at keeping young people engaged in education and their community.

He said he was thrilled with Ms Jellie’s nomination.

“I’ve been lucky to do things in my life,” he said. “I know I’m not alone in our community either. I was talking to a bloke last week about an interesting statistic – 29 per cent of Warrnambool’s population actively volunteer. The national average is 18 per cent. That goes to show we are a really community-minded place.”

Nominations for the awards close on August 6.