Birchip Community Forum introduced two new awards in addition to the traditional announcement of the Citizen of the Year, adding to the excitement at the 2025 Australia Day celebrations held at Birchip Memorial Park on Sunday, January 26. 

The first announcement from Birchip Community Forum president Steve Nottle, was to award the community event of the year.

Community Event of the Year
It was on a rainy, cold, miserable night in the middle of winter, but none of the 500 plus attendees cared as all eyes were fixed on watching their kids getting out there having a crack, getting their hands on the ball and absolutely loving it, under the Friday night lights, in the first night game of football ever played in Birchip. 

The event itself was the “CVFL Northern Girls’ Under-12 and Under-15 Football Grand Final” hosted by Birchip-Watchem Football Club. Secretary of the Birchip-Watchem Football Club, Stephanie Coffey, said: “It wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication of all our volunteers involved in junior sports and this award is really a thank you to you all, as everyone’s volunteer work always goes above and beyond for our junior sport. As we all know, it’s more than a game.” 

Young Person of the Year
Les Cooper, a young man who has an inspiring story that he recently shared through his winning ABC Heywire entry, was the inaugural winner of the Birchip Young Person of the Year. 

Steve said, “you can’t help but be truly inspired by Les, and admire his honesty, his vulnerability and his bravery and he is evidence that ‘it ain’t weak to speak’.”

Les as a student at Birchip P-12 School, has emerged as a significant young leader both within the school and the wider community.  At school, Les excelled in his role as president of the Birchip P-12 School Student Board, and under his leadership, the student board organised several initiatives throughout the year, including celebrating the school’s 100th anniversary with a 1924-themed day featuring games, activities, and an Easter egg hunt, organising a Winter Sports Day for Years 7-12 in collaboration with Donald High School and promoting awareness and raising funds for important causes through activities for MND Day, Wear It Purple Day, and R U OK Day.

Les’s contributions extend beyond his school environment. As the junior vice-president of Calder United Cricket Club (and formerly Nullawil Cricket Club), he co-coaches the junior cricket team and co-ordinates the Cricket Blast Junior Program. He also serves as an umpire for junior cricket and personally curates the cricket pitch at Nullawil, ensuring the grounds are ready for games each Saturday.

Additionally, Les is an active member of the CFA in Nullawil and contributes to the local football club as a wellbeing team member, showcasing his dedication to fostering the importance of a supportive community.

Les embodies what it means to be a young leader, an active volunteer, and a dedicated community member. His unwavering passion for supporting his local community, school, and sports organisations makes him a truly deserving winner. 

Citizen of the Year
The climax of the award presentation was the announcing of citizen of the year, which was bestowed on Judy Living.

Born and raised in Birchip, Judy is a dedicated community member, contributing to the community with her passion for supporting returned veterans and their families.

Judy has been a legatee for the Birchip area for 12 years and counting.  A legatee is the cornerstone of Legacy; a volunteer member who makes a personal commitment to assist families of veterans of the Australian defence force, who gave their lives or health, in service to our country. 

Judy was also nominated and served on the board of the Legacy foundation, which is responsible for allocating funds to Legacy branches for assistance to widows and their families. 

A true advocate in this space, Judy was one of the first Vietnam veteran widows to speak publicly on the effects of agent orange on Vietnam veterans, and in recent years has presented to the royal commission into defence force suicide.

Commitment
Judy’s commitment to the local Birchip community includes twenty years of dedicated service to the Birchip Bush Nursing Hospital/East Wimmera Health Service, seven years as a volunteer with the Birchip CERT team providing 24/7 emergency medical first response, treasurer of Birchip RSL, member of Birchip choir “The Chocolate Sundays”, and for the past twenty-five years, Judy has been co-proprietor of the Birchip Hardware, servicing the town with husband Gary.

In these roles alone Judy is a very worthy candidate; however, her greatest contribution to community is one which is far more difficult to measure. This is her deep understanding of people, their needs, and her unbounded kindness and generosity in caring for others.  

There are many people in the Birchip community who can recount stories of when Judy was there for them in moments of need, and after those moments have passed.

These contributions are described as gentle, humble, and deeply impactful.  They are not front and centre for all to see, but are carried out quietly, privately and with the utmost sensitivity.  

Judy is a true example of service above self, those who dedicate themselves not for recognition, but because they believe in helping others. 

On receiving the award from previous winner Maureen Donnellon, Judy was too shocked to make a long response, but her pride was evident, and she did acknowledge the role her father had played in her journey, saying, “I am committed to following on in my dad’s footsteps, as he was instrumental in getting a lot of things done in this town.”

Steve concluded the presentations by congratulating the winners and reiterating that volunteering is rewarding and although Birchip may be small, it is a great town, with great people and fantastic resources.  

Steve encouraged the community to “dream big and think hard, because we may live in the lucky country, but we make our own luck here. No matter what life throws at us, seek out opportunities to contribute, to participate and to action change. Resilience has helped us overcome recessions, droughts, floods and a global pandemic — and it will carry us through whatever challenges lie ahead”.