2023 Harden-Murrumburrah Australia Day Awards. Hugo Sachs MC, Mal MacDonald, Eliza Butt, Jade Emms, Emma Collins, Monica O’Connor OAM, Sam Emms, Sonia Gandhi Australia Day Ambassador, Lorraine Brown Organiser of 31 years, Bill Tobin and Citizen of the Year Grahame Taylor.
The crowd arrived at the Newson Park venue for the annual Australia Day event to another warm Sun rising in the east over the brick wall of the Harden-Murrumburrah and District, War Memorial Pool.
The temperature rose quickly to the mid-twenties as those attending chowed down on bacon and eggs and orange juice with a small gold coin donation allowing access to the breakfast, which the Freemasons expertly cooked.
The crowd was entertained by Greg Jamieson, Leigh Butt and Oscar Smith with accompanying instruments played by Stewart Bruce and friends.
Hits such as To Her Door and The Boys From The Bush were performed.
The trio looked resplendent in their vibrant blue shirts covered in the Australian flag. Such were their talents that they even managed to get a dancer to rise to her feet just shy of 8:45 am and join in the performance.
Local Rugby Union legend and well-known Dentist Hugo Sachs emceed the morning and welcomed everyone to the event before handing over to our Ambassador who spoke about her connections to Australia and her family.
Sonia Gandhi said she is given two choices when it comes to Australia Day. One is to stay close to where she is and attend an event within approximately 50 kilometres of where she lives. The other option is to be sent as far afield as possible to a regional community.
Sonia takes the latter as she wants to become an Ambassador for that area when she returns to the city.
The Times will have an in-depth story on Sonia including her speech in next week’s edition.
Junior Citizen of the Year went to Sam Emms.
Awards stayed in the family with sister Jade receiving The Community involvement in Sport Award.
Special Community Awards were given to Emma Collins and Eliza Butt before two Towncare Awards were given out, one to Mal MacDonald and the other to Bill Tobin. Their profiles will be in the Times next week.
Citizen of the Year was awarded to Grahame Taylor, While Monica O’Connor was recognised in the Australia Day Honours list with an OAM. Both Local Legends in the Twin Towns 2014 book.
Monica appeared on page 50 and Grahame on page 94. We will be catching up with both of them for next week’s edition. Grahame’s profile on the day as read by Hugo Sachs said, “He has given 42 years as a leading Vet in the Harden community. A member of the Murrumburrah-Harden Rotary Club, Grahame has been a Director of Harden-Murrumburrah Flexi-care. He has helped out with carpentry skills to construct backdrops and scenery for the Young Theatre Co. A contributor and Board member of Bronzing Bill The Bastard, Grahame continues to assist and mentor young Vet graduates and students in his retirement, helping out in sheep and cattle yards around the district.
Presently, he accompanies his son Bill and his wife Janet, both Vets who spend 7 days each year performing voluntary services in an indigenous community called ‘Utopia’ 4 hours from Alice Springs, de-sexing 200 dogs in a week and treating them for internal and external parasites. The children’s overall health in that community has improved because of better animal health. More to come.
