Pierre Issa Harden Australia Day Ambassador
Preparations for Australia Day celebrations in the Hilltops Region are underway, with three ambassadors set to visit the area to help residents and visitors mark the annual event.
Entertainer, dancer and actor Robina Beard OAM has been announced as the Australia Day Ambassador for Boorowa, Founder of Pepe Saya Butter Company, Pierre Issa will be joining celebrations in Harden, while conductor, composer and musical arranger, George Ellis will be visiting the Young community.
The National Australia Day Council recruits hundreds of Australia Day Ambassadors who volunteer their time to attend Australia Day ceremonies across the country to help inspire pride and celebration in local communities.
Statistics provided by the National Australia Day Council show that Australia Day is an immensely popular celebration, with more than half of all Australians attending Australia Day Celebrations organised by Governments, local Councils and community groups or getting together with family and friends. In addition, over 16,000 new Australians become citizens on Australia Day.
Event information for Australia Day celebrations across the Hilltops Region – including Australia Day Award ceremonies – will be listed on Hilltops Council’s website and social media pages prior to the day.
Robina Beard, OAM (Boorowa): Entertainer, dancer and actor, Robina Beard has been a household name due to her renowned role of ‘Madge’ in the long-running advertisement for Palmolive hand cream. In 2011, Robina was presented with an OAM for her service to the arts and has received Australian Dance Award for Lifetime Achievement. Robina still runs exercise and tap-dancing classes for seniors and has been a former NSW Seniors Festival Ambassador.
Pierre Issa (Harden): Founder of Pepe Saya Butter Company, Pierre Issa has a love of butter and has turned this love into a leading Australian butter producer with sights set on global expansion. Pepe Saya is committed to using local suppliers and providing a paddock to plate experience, ensuring they use only the best local milk, cream and salts within Australia. Pepe Saya differentiate themselves as their butter masters churn by hand 10,000 litres of milk in a week to create not only cultured butter but Crème Fraiche, Buttermilk, Mascarpone, Ghee and Truffle Butter products.
George Ellis (Young): George Ellis is one of Australia’s top musical directors and conductors and has presented concerts all over the world including every capital city in Australia. With many stage, screen and classic credits, including conducting Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring in Bruce Beresford’s film Mao’s Last Dancer. George has been Musical Director for numerous university productions and events and provides orchestral soundtracks for television shows, including The Bachelor Series 2. George conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games as well as being Musical Director of the Orchestral Proms concerts for many years at the Sydney Opera House. George is an award-winning composer.
