The 2025 Buloke Shire Council Awards celebration was held on January 23, in Wycheproof Town Hall, featuring buffet-style catering with an incredible selection of delicious food, sweets, teas, and coffees, creating a very welcoming atmosphere.
Local caterer Donna Pellegrino, of Tuscany on Calder provided the spread, while live music was performed by local talent, Brodie Glen. Buloke Shire councillors were at the door to greet guests, adding a nice formal touch to the evening.
As the crowd gathered and mingled in the appropriately decorated hall, with its wattle boughs and flags, media, communications, and other staff were on hand to ensure the event ran smoothly and ready to go live for the 6:30 p.m. livestream.
CEO Wayne O’Toole, welcomed guests with an acknowledgment of country and introduced the evening’s guest speaker, Assistant Commissioner for Victoria Police, Glenn Weir. Wayne also extended a warm welcome to the OAM recipients, nominees, and all those in attendance.
Australia Day Theme
Glenn Weir spoke warmly of his childhood in Horsham and of the “country way”. He highlighted the theme of Australia Day this year – Reflect, Respect, Celebrate – that it isn’t about one day of the year, it is about who we are as a nation. He shared that life in the country is about being “part of the community, not apart from it”, and hard work, good humour and local traditions are commonly found traits in the residents of these small towns.
Glenn also talked about his early years growing up in Horsham and how the drive to Wycheproof felt like coming home; a stressful morning could just melt away with the miles. He reminded everyone how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful area, and to maintain our region’s integrity, he urged the audience to “stop, pause and reflect” on the role we have in mentoring the future generations. It is important to understand where we all fit in the story of Australia and to create an environment of confidence and hope for our future generations.
Event of the Year
Buloke Shire Awards were then presented to worthy recipients for their outstanding contributions to the community across the whole shire.
Presenting Community Event of the Year award were Cr. Bernadette Hogan and Cr. Charmaine Delaney.
The winner was Charlton Neighbourhood House’s “Blue Tree Project” and its popular initiatives to highlight mental health issues. Visual reminders were placed about the towns within the shire to help break the stigma of mental health, help start conversations, foster connection and creating symbols of hope and resilience. Representatives from Blue Tree Project accepted with a few words and statistics about mental health, and thanked the Buloke Shire for recognising the initiative, saying it is hoped it will help to build a strong and connected community.
Young Citizen
Cr. Graeme Milne and Cr. Bruce Stafford presented the Young Citizen of the Year award to Wycheproof's Keely Allan. Keely is a not only a passionate advocate for rural living, she also displays exceptional dedication and leadership within her community, particularly in her role as president of the Wycheproof Youth Group.
Upon accepting the honour, Keely expressed her appreciation eloquently, acknowledging the people before her that paved her way, such as Wycheproof P-12 principal, Christine McKersie, who does so much for the youth of the town. She also thanked the community itself, with the belief that growing up in this area has contributed a large amount to her success.
In closing, Keely pointed out that she doesn’t come from a shire with really advanced technology and bustling numbers, but she comes from a shire whose residents will huddle into the hall on a Thursday evening to recognise everyone’s efforts, which speaks volumes of the example she has been set to become the leader she is today.
Mayor Cr. Allan Getley and last year’s Citizen of the Year winner, Trevor Emerson, presented the 2025 award which is consistently won in the Buloke Shire by champions volunteering to make their community a better place.
Citizen of the Year
Corey Harrison was named Buloke Citizen of the Year in recognition outstanding and tireless contributions to the community over many years. In his roles as CFA volunteer and captain, coaching and umpiring roles in football, hockey and cricket, Corey is often the first to arrive and last to leave. As well as the local community, Corey has been committed to raising funds for Royal Children’s Hospital and is area manager for the Good Friday Appeal. Corey is a dedicated dad, friend and volunteer; an outstanding person who gives so much to his community and those around him.
Upon accepting, Corey admitted that he thought something might have been going on when he saw so many of his friends and family assembled. Until then, he’d had no idea what was coming.
After extending his thanks to both councillors and the Buloke Shire, he also thanked his wife, firstly for keeping such a secret and also for being such an unwavering support.
Corey expressed his appreciation of the many people who have taken him under their wing in his various roles and led him to where he is today, also acknowledging the other volunteers he works with and the hard work they do for both emergency services and all sporting codes, much of which goes unnoticed.
“What an absolute honour!” Corey said in closing. “Thank you all, never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would be standing up here accepting one of these awards.”
As a thank you, Grevilleas were presented to the award winners, and a local hamper to the guest speaker. The event celebrated local businesses and talent, with the Shire proudly showcasing local products and support throughout the evening. The crowd was especially supportive, with two Wycheproof locals honoured; many family and friends were on hand to make the celebrations infectious.
Wayne O’Toole closed the night by congratulating all the nominees, thanking the staff and those who helped put the event together, decorating the hall and for the remarkable catering.
“These awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the incredible people in our community,” Mayor Alan Getley said.
“The dedication and passion shown by the winners and nominees are what makes Buloke such a special place. Congratulations to all involved.”