City of Newcastle searching for unsung heroes

Novocastrians have the chance to help a local champion become a legend, with nominations now open for City of Newcastle's 2024 Citizen of the Year Awards.

Categories include Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year, within the Newcastle Local Government Area.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the annual award program celebrates a diverse range of people from all walks of life.

“We all know Newcastle is a great place to live and it's the people in our community who continue to make the city better each year,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Now is the time to nominate someone who's made a difference in Newcastle. It doesn't have to be a familiar name or a high-profile achiever, it could be a friend or neighbour, colleague, or a local group.

“This is your chance to tell us about an unsung hero whose efforts deserve formal recognition.”

As the University of Newcastle’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Leadership, 2023 Citizen of the Year Nathan Towney says winning the award has given him a greater profile at a significant time in the national discourse on Indigenous affairs.

"As a proud Wiradjuri man, I was honoured to be given this award and have the chance to encourage more discussion around the issues facing First Nations people," Mr Towney said.

"I'm very grateful to those people who have done a lot of hard work in this region and this city and I want to acknowledge them. I wouldn't be able to do what I do in this space without the foundations that have been laid before me.

"I want to encourage everyone in Newcastle to think about nominating someone who is fighting for a worthy cause."

The career of last year's Young Citizen of the Year Dominic May has gone from strength to strength during the past 12 months, with his business CoastXP, a unique coastal sightseeing experience, named as a finalist for this year's NSW Tourism Awards.

Tireless work with all levels of government to tackle coastal erosion saw the Stockton Community Group named the 2023 Community Group of the Year.

Members of the group recently had another win when it was announced that a contract has been awarded by the State Government to obtain and place 100,000 cubic metres of sand along the Stockton coastline in October, the first step in the broader Coastal Management Plan.

Citizen of the Year Award nominations are now open at newcastle.nsw.gov.au/citizenoftheyear

Nominations close 19 November 2023 and will be judged by the City of Newcastle Award Panel.