AND the winner is… volunteerism in Bass Coast!
The decision by the Bass Coast Shire Council to move the time-honoured ‘Citizen of the Year’ awards away from the Australia Day Weekend to National Volunteers Week in May has paid significant dividends for the shire, for local community groups and for the promotion of volunteering in your local community.
But there was a winner at the awards night on Monday night this week, May 15, at the start of National Volunteers Week and that winner was Catherine Watson of the Save the Western Port Woodlands group.
Ms Watson took out the Bass Coast Shire Council’s first ‘Community Leaders’ Award’, effectively the old Citizen of the Year award, the same but different.
In the typically self-effacing way of community group members, thrust into the limelight, Ms Watson paid tribute to the 500 ‘Woodlands Warriors’ who she said had waved placards at Grantville on holiday weekends, turned up at meetings or wrote letters and submissions, and those like singer-songwriter Tim O’Brien who wrote the Woodlands’ anthem ‘On a Grantville Shore’, former Bass Coast Mayor Neil Rankine and many others she mentioned by name.
“These,” she said, “are the ones more worthy of this award.”
“When I joined the Save the Western Port Woodlands group, I thought I was following them, not them following me. But that’s the group. If you want to do something for the cause, you get out and do it. We’re all leaders, or it’s a case of the blind leading the blind.”
But they’ve certainly raised the profile of the Woodlands, to the stage where they became the star turn at the recent Distinctive Areas and Landscape advisory committee hearings, when initially, the last remnant of Bass Coast bushland didn’t initially get a mention as a “distinctive area”.
“And,” said Ms Watson, in a moment of reflected glory for the shire, “the Bass Coast Shire Council has been with us all the way in this fight.”
“We will win this battle. We’re halfway there… bring on the second half, we’re ready,” said Ms Watson.
According to Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Michael Whelan, who hosted the awards, the new format for the annual community awards has been eagerly embraced by the community with strong nominations for all four categories: Environment and Sustainability; Community Group; Next Generation Leader; and Community Leader.
Cr Whelan said the nominees were all outstanding examples of the individuals and groups who provide the passion, enthusiasm and community spirit which make Bass Coast a great place to live.
“The new Bass Coast Community Awards celebrate the very best of Bass Coast life, which provides potent inspiration for the rest of us to aspire to,” Cr Whelan said.
“Every person nominated does what they do because they love it. They do not do it for public recognition, which makes recognising them at the Bass Coast Community Awards VIP Presentation Evening even more special.”
Cr Whelan congratulated and thanked all nominees and winners – and everyone who elected them – for helping make the new Bass Coast Community Awards a tremendous success.
The winners are…
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The 2023 Bass Coast Community Awards winners are: Environment and Sustainability Award: Paul Speirs Paul encapsulates what it means to be a true environmental sustainability leader. Paul has lived in Bass Coast for over 30 years now and has dedicated a large portion of his life to volunteering for Landcare. Paul moved from Melbourne to Archies Creek to start a family, while also becoming a Riparian re-vegetator. Paul inspired his neighbours to start the Archies Creek Reforestation Group in the early ‘90s. Since then, the group has planted more than 200,000 plants in their local area. On Paul's and five of his neighbouring properties they have planted an incredible 100-metre wide Biolink.
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Community Group Award: Wonthaggi Boxing Club Inc In 2017, committee members of the Wonthaggi Boxing Club approached Council because they saw an opportunity to utilise the old, abandoned CFA building in Watt Street Wonthaggi as the next home for the boxing club. At this time, the premises had been vandalised inside and was very untidy outside. After receiving permission to lease the building, and with financial assistance and support from the State Government and Council, the new location was turned into a boxing gym. Wonthaggi Boxing Club then also encouraged the building to be used by the local YMCA as their Youth Hub space which was then followed local school groups. This facility is an amazing example of a fantastic collaboration between innovative community groups.
- Next Generation Leader Award: Liam Marangio Liam has shown remarkable leadership and represents the future of our community. The 19-year-old is a passionate member of the Cape Paterson Surf Lifesaving Club with more than 250 hours of patrolling and has helped save many lives. Liam has also shown to be extremely adept at garnering energy around the club, encouraging more and more people to become involved in providing valuable lifesaving services. In joining the Club’s committee in the last year, Liam has already made a mark by personifying 'actions speak louder than words'. The passionate local has already achieved the highest award in volunteer lifesaving, the Gold Medallion.
- Community Leader Award: Catherine Watson. Catherine is inspiring locals to stand up and fight to save the Western Port Woodlands. A vital community resource for Bass Coast residents and visitors, the woodlands is the last remnant block of coastal forest in the Shire. Catherine created the group’s new name, Save the Western Port Woodlands, and has a quiet way of marshalling local groups. Catherine established Bass Coast Post, which for more than a decade has provided a platform for local people to write and discuss ideas. Catherine has been quietly active in leading the conservation group, including advocacy, garnering public support through social media and coordinating gatherings to promote the cause. Catherine has also convened meetings, including the important Meet the Candidates Forum held before the Victorian election in 2022. Catherine has an extensive list of people with expertise relating to the woodlands, who she cajoles into leading walks for anyone keen to learn more.
Congratulations to the nominees
And it was congratulations too, to all the 2023 Bass Coast Community Awards nominees, who made this brand-new program possible:
Community Group Award
- Cape Paterson SLSC, Cape Paterson
- Corinella and District Community Centre, Corinella
- Cowes Community Meal, Cowes
- Grace Chapel, Archies Creek
- Grantville Business and Community Association, Grantville
- Inverloch RSL Sub-Branch, Inverloch
- Bass Football Netball Club Inc-Catering Group, Bass
- Phillip Island Boardriders Club, Newhaven
- Wonthaggi Boxing Club Inc, Wonthaggi
- YES Youth Hub, Wonthaggi
- Youki's Shed, Cowes
Community Leader
- Mandy Chancellor, Newhaven
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Charlie Crawford, Cape Paterson
- Ron Day, Cowes
- Ben Fokkens, Cowes
- Colleen Gilbee, Cape Woolamai
- Michelle Isles, Cape Paterson
- Barbara Oates, Corinella
- Karen Thorp, Wonthaggi
- Michael and Sue Turton, Cape Paterson
- Catherine Watson, Wonthaggi
Environment and Sustainability
- Barbara Oates, Corinella
- Marjorie Scott, Inverloch
- Paul Speirs, Ryanston
- Save Westernport Woodlands
- Energy Innovation Co-operative
Next Generation Leader
- Chloe Lawson, North Wonthaggi
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Liam Marangio, Cape Paterson
- Mia Thompson, Cowes
