The Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Event of the Year will be named at the official council Australia Day festivities at Terang Civic Hall from 10am on Saturday.

Mayor Neil Trotter said the nominees had been put forward by their fellow community members to recognise their contributions to the shire.

“This is a terrific opportunity for family, friends, and members of the wider community to gather together and thank them for the ways they enrich our shire.

“Australia Day is all about recognising that whatever our origins, we embrace our nation and its values of free speech, rule of law, democracy and a fair go for all,” Cr Trotter said.

Australia Day Ambassador Duncan Stalker OAM will make a keynote address ahead of presentation of the 2019 Australia Day awards.

There will be a free barbecue at the event at the Terang Civic Hall and three new Australians will receive citizenship.

The nominees for the shire’s individual awards are:

Janine Davis, Derrinallum; Deborah Smith, Simpson; Stanley Foote, Skipton; Mary Bradshaw, Skipton; Andrew Duynhoven, Bookaar; Beverly and Thomas McLaren, The Sisters; Margaret Edwards, Derrinallum; Peter Matthews, Camperdown; Paul Parsell, Simpson; Jillian Cole, Terang; Lauren Hester, Cobden; Matilda Perriss, Cobden; Donna Ellis, Brucknell; Elizabeth “Lilla” Orton, Skipton; Beryl and Russell Adams, Skipton; Evelyn Grayland, Cobden; Heather Vagg, Camperdown; Laney Burkett, Camperdown; Simon Buccheri, Camperdown; Judith Oakes, Camperdown; John Hulm, Camperdown; Andrea Balcombe, Dixie.

The nominees for the shire’s Community Event of the Year are: 

FreeZa Party at the Pool, Camperdown Community Meal, Cobden Uniting Church Bushfire Relief Distribution Centre, Citizens Community Roast Lunch, Rock the Clock, Timboon parkrun and the Sungold Camperdown Cup.