He was presented the award at the official celebrations on January 26 at the Cobden Recreation Reserve.

The young citizen of the year award was presented to Darcy Tribe, of Port Campbell, and the community event of the year award to the Anzac Commemoration Service 2021 with Cobden Technical School and Cobden Cemetery Trust.

Mr White has a long history of mentoring young people as an educator at Cobden Technical School and with South West LLEN, Beyond the Bell and Corangamite L2P program.

He has a long administrative history with local and regional cricket, volleyball, the Cobden Recreation Centre and Cobden Sports Club. In community development he is active in Progressing Cobden, the Cobden Business Network, events, festivals and bushfire recovery. He was involved in developing the town's Twenty20 Vision and the Cobden Story project.

"I'm feeling very humble and privileged to be acknowledged in this way," Mr White said.

"I'm pleased to accept the award on behalf of volunteers both in Cobden and across the Shire.

"I've been fortunate to work with so many great people in many different organisations.

"There are personal benefits for people who volunteer as well as for the communities themselves.

"I hope it encourages people of all ages to help where they can so Corangamite Shire can remain strong and be an inviting place to live."

Young citizen of the year Mr Tribe is Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club Captain and has launched new initiatives to increase patrols and encourage female involvement and engage schools. He is a member of the Community Emergency Response Team and on the call-out list for Coastal Rescue Service.

Mr Tribe said he had been very lucky to grow up in Port Campbell.

"Volunteering has just been a part of life down there. I've had a lot of great family members and cultural figures around the town who have led the way before me.

"I'm just carrying the baton ready to give on to the next generation.

"The great thing about volunteering is you can take bigger roles or just do your little bit to contribute to the town and the community."

He used his award acceptance speech to highlight the controversial development on wetlands in Princetown.

"The special Corangamite area is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the world, and my one hope is that both now and into the future that it is preserved and protected to its highest level by the leaders of our shire," Mr Tribe said.

"An inappropriate development on the fragile and precious ecosystem, such as the Princetown wetland, is highly inappropriate and should never be tolerated anywhere, let alone in our backyard.

"To those people who are standing up for what's right, thank you, and please continue doing so to protect our community.

"I hope going forward that the shire listens to the views of the community and volunteers that deeply care and dedicate themselves to our community and the area which we all love.

"We all - us and the shire - have a big opportunity right now to become a leader and embrace the change for the better. We can be a leader in Australia and the world - that's how I hope we leave our mark."

Cobden Technical School community engagement coordinator Andrea Stoddart said the Anzac Day project grew from a mission to connect students with the community. Students found and marked the graves of 37 veterans with an Australian flag for the Anzac Day service.

"What was amazing about the project was the willingness of the community members to embrace this event. The interest and pride grew exponentially.

"It was born in March and happened in two months. It brought together so many people from different walks of life.

She praised the students on their efforts and mentioned the invaluable contributions of the Cobden Cemetery Trust's Trevor Roberts and Gerard Gleeson, RSL Camperdown Sub-Branch President Alan Fleming, Trevor Gardner and the Progressing Cobden Community Podcast, Vietnam veteran Ron Greagen, 30-year naval officer and school electrical teacher Michael Nixon, the late Alma MacDonald and Bernie Dunn and the Lakes and Craters Band.

Corangamite Shire Mayor Ruth Gstrein congratulated the winners and 40 recipients of Australia Day achievement awards.

"We are very fortunate in our Shire to have so many community-minded people who are willing to give their time and energy to supporting the wider community," Cr Gstrein said.

"Together they have made contributions across a wide range of caring, sporting, cultural and supportive activities.

"Today we recognise them-the committees they work with and the families who support them-and say: 'Thank you for your role in making Corangamite Shire a great place to live'."

Australia Day Ambassador Sue Calwell will gave the keynote address.

Achievement Award recipients: