Dalby residents, Beth Wood and Matthew Butter take home ‘highest honour’ awards for 2023
A beloved Western Downs leader and a passionate, promising young community member are the recipients of this year’s Australia Day, Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year Awards. Meet the winners here.
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A much-loved resident who has been leading the way in volunteer work for decades and a promising, hardworking Western Downs community member who has already achieved so much in the little time they’ve had, have received awards of the “highest honour”.
Both Beth Wood and Matthew Butters are the recipients of this year’s Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year Australia Day Awards respectively.
Mayor Paul McVeigh said the awards were those of the “highest honour”.
“Our Australia Day Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the people that make our region the welcoming, vibrant and inclusive community it is,” he said.
“It’s an unusual position for me, because I tend to work behind-the-scenes, but I am extremely proud of being able to build social connections with others in my community,” she said.
“I have a great belief that connections make communities strong and resilient.”
The community would of course recognise Ms Wood’s name as the brains behind some of Dalby’s greatest events such as the Delicious and Delightful Festival, R U OK Day and Skilling Queenslanders for Work.
She has also played major roles in the annual Christmas tree Festival, hosted by the Baptist Church and the Lake Broadwater Range program.
“For me, this award is not just about my work but of the work everyone who strives to build and support their communities,” she said.
“In being awarded this honour I’d like to acknowledge everybody who works to make the Western Downs such a wonderful place.”
Following on from the heartwarming sentiment, Young Citizen of the Year award winner Mr Butters receives the award with already a number of major achievements under his belt.
“I did not expect to be awarded this honour – finding out that I’d won was an exhilarating experience,” he said.
“I think one of my strengths is wanting to be part of everything I can, and we are very fortunate on the Western Downs that we have so many opportunities available to us to get involved in the community.”
The young man is known in the Dalby community for coaching local sports, taking a lead role in the 2022 Dalby State High School musical, becoming a Lions Youth State Finalist, and volunteering at the Delicious and Delightful festival while being a school captain and completing his last year of school.
“I’m very thankful to my nominator and everyone who believe in and supported me, and to Council for facilitating the Australia Day Awards,” he said.
“Winning Young Citizen of the Year has been an unexpected pleasure, and I look forward to continuing to play an active role in my community.”
Ms Wood and Mr Butters join 24 other local winners in the 2023 Australia Day Awards.
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