General News
27 January, 2026
Community’s best honoured with awards
Locals were recognised for their tireless contributions to the community at the Central Goldfields Shire's Australia Day awards ceremony on Monday.
The very best in the community were once again recognised this Australia Day for their contributions to local life.
The local community came together at Maryborough’s Station Domain, despite the blistering weather, to enjoy Monday’s ceremony.
While the morning had its fair share of activities and ceremonies, the main attraction was this year’s Central Goldfields Shire Australia Day award winners.
The stands were crowded with locals who came together not only to recognise, but celebrate, the recipients’ efforts in the shire.
Community Award of the Year went to Goldfields Community Festival, Young Citizen of the Year to Harriet Thoroughgood, and top honours of Citizen of the Year went to Nick Weaver.
The honour was an emotional one for Mr Weaver whose tireless advocacy for cancer awareness and local cancer care began with a tragic loss of his own.
“When my father passed away from cancer it was really tough,” he said.
“So we just needed to make it easier for everybody else.”
Mr Weaver’s father, John Weaver, died from pancreatic and liver cancer in 2017.
The next year, Mr Weaver began his fundraising journey through Relay for Life, pushing himself to his physical limit, to raise over $40,000 across two years.
Later, he supported the Maryborough District Health Service’s Oncology Unit through a wellbeing expo in 2022 and the now iconic Full Monty fundraiser at the Maryborough Highland Society.
While the latter is a bit of fun, with local performers dancing and taking off their clothes, it’s for a good cause raising more than $250,000 to date.
It’s money that enabled the purchase of a permanent mammography unit which has removed barriers of distance and access for local women.
“It’s wonderful to be recognised but I certainly don’t do this for awards or the accolades it’s just to try and make our community better,” he said.
Similarly putting the community first was Young Citizen of the Year Harriet Thoroughgood who is a committed local volunteer.
The numerous events and organisations Ms Thoroughgood has put her time into shows a young person passionate about lending a hand.
“It makes me happy. I can do something for someone and it fulfils something for them,” she said.
Ms Thoroughgood has been involved in the Girl Guides for more than six years achieving the highest honour of the Queen’s Guide Award last year, as well as becoming a role model to her peers.
She has also volunteered at her local dance school, the toy library, provides mentoring support for Highview College students, and has volunteered at multiple Energy Breakthroughs including putting in 26 hours over three days last year.
“It makes me proud but I don’t need to be recognised for volunteering. I do it to help other people it’s not something I do for myself to be recognised for,” she said.
Community Event of the Year went to the Goldfields Community Festival.
Since its start three years ago the event aims to bring the community together, highlighting local groups and how the community can contribute, while also offering a bit of fun to be had.
The community group’s Kerrie Dowling said it was good to be recognised for something she had always suspected.
“You always think your own events are good but to get the recognition of others is wonderful,” she said.
She thanked the community as a whole, from those who help make the event happen to people just coming along, for their support.
Ms Dowling also invited the community to attend this year’s event planned to be held in October.
“For the community to show up on the day and to show their support by coming out is the best thing out,” she said.