The Central Highlands Australia Day Awards celebrate the achievement and contributions of individuals and organisations in our region. Nominating someone is an opportunity to publicly acknowledge those who have made an extraordinary contribution or are an outstanding achiever.
Each year, people in the Central Highlands recognise the achievements and contributions of individuals and organisations in six categories and the four community areas of:
You will find all you need to know to complete a great Australia Day Award nomination here.
The Citizen of the Year Award recognises those aged 19 years and above who have made a significant contribution to their community.
The Young Citizen of the Year Award recognises those aged 18 years and under who have made a significant contribution to their community.
The Cultural Award recognises individuals or groups that have made a significant contribution to the arts and culture in their community.
The Senior Sportsperson/ Administrator of the Year Award recognises individuals aged 18 and over who have an outstanding record of achievement in their sport or have made a significant contribution as a coach, official or administrator.
The Junior Sportsperson of the Year Award recognises individuals aged 18 and under who have an outstanding record of achievement in their sport or have made a significant contribution as a coach, official or administrator.
The Community Event of the Year Award recognises a community event held in the Central Highlands Regional Council area that has made a significant contribution to the community profile economically, culturally and socially.
Start with a clear and specific statement that outlines why your nominee is worthy of the award. Ask yourself:
What activities or actions has the nominee undertaken to stand out? What has the nominee accomplished that goes above and beyond their job description? What special skills or talents have they employed? How has the nominee changed their community? Why are you motivated to nominate this person?
The people on the judging panel come from all walks of life. Imagine you are talking to an intelligent, engaged audience without specific expertise in your field. Spell out acronyms the first time you use them and avoid using jargon, overly scientific language or terms that may not be familiar to people outside your industry.
Strengthen your nomination by painting a picture of the person. What motivates them to make a difference? What personal challenges have they overcome in their life? Why do they inspire others? How does this person make you feel?
Use real-world examples that demonstrate what you’re saying is true. Whether your nominee was the first one to lend a hand at the local football club or the person staying back late each night at the lab, we want the stories of their life and the impact they have made.
Support your nomination with hard facts and reliable statistics. Can you provide specific measures of this person’s success?
A long nomination isn’t always a better nomination. Try to keep your sentences short and concise and avoid repetition. Steer clear of detailed job descriptions and work histories or providing multiple referee statements that don’t offer new information.
The panel is looking for people who make a significant contribution to the community, who are a role model for people in their community and demonstrate excellence in their field, so ensure your nomination addresses these criteria.
For the Community Event of the Year award, the panel is looking for an event that makes a significant contribution to develop the regional economy and social and cultural life.
When completing the nomination form, it is important to address selection criteria.
The judging panel will also give consideration to the following in assessing and comparing nominations against the above criteria:
An individual can be nominated in more than one category, but a separate form must be completed.
The Australia Day Awards judging panel assesses the nominations based on the selection criteria. The panel consists of councillors, council representatives and community members reflecting each of the award areas. Read more in the Australia Day Awards Judging Panel Terms of Reference.
Nominations for the Australia Day Awards are open until 30 November in the year before the awards. All award nominees will be notified via contact details provided on the nomination form and receive an invitation to attend the award presentation in your local area. A list of nominees may be published before the 26 January.
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