Mackay Australia Day Awards: Every winner in the 2025 ceremony
From 136 nominees, nine Mackay region citizens were recognised for their remarkable contributions to the broader community.
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Nine remarkable people, thrust into the spotlight by their peers, friends and family, were pointed to as proof our region has a “great future”.
Mayor of Mackay, Greg Williamson, said the winners of the 2024 Mackay Regional Council Australia Day Awards epitomised “the community we live in”.
“The community that gives so much on a day-to-day basis,” Mr Williamson said.
Mr Williamson said without the efforts of the people honoured and the many volunteers giving their time across the Mackay region, “we wouldn’t be able to exist as a community”.
“Almost everyone flies under the radar, nobody wants recognition,” he said.
On the eve before Australia Day eight winners and all the nominees were not only recognised, but celebrated.
Scroll down to read the full list of winners >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Citizen of the Year – Rebecca Cooper
Rebecca Cooper, the Mackay region citizen of the year for 2024 was “literally shocked” to be nominated, let alone be named citizen of the year.
Mr Williamson said Ms cooper nurtures a spirit of “connection and support” in the Mackay Northern Beaches community through organising fun and inclusive events.
“Rebecca was the driving force behind the Mackay Northern Beaches Community Week, a 10-day event which invited people to ‘gather, create, and activate’ with a central focus on enhancing community wellbeing,” he said.
“She is also the volunteer lead facilitator and organiser behind the Mackay Northern Beaches Community Playgroup, a group that connects about 60 families each week, and has become a lifeline for many families experiencing loneliness.”
She organises the Mackay Northern Beaches Community Network and volunteers with the Northern Beaches Lions and Seaview Parkrun.
Ms Cooper thanked all the people who believed in her and said it “is not myself alone that made this possible”.
“It’s the support of my family and friends … it’s the people who took the phone calls who said ‘yes let’s make this happen’,” Ms Cooper said.
“It really is a community effort to make something like the things I worked on for the last 12 months happen.”
For her “tireless efforts and unwavering commitment” to creating a welcoming and inclusive community space, Rebecca Cooper is the Citizen of the Year.
Young Citizen of the Year – Murray MacGroarty
Murray MacGroarty, recovered from walking the distance of Mackay to Townsville earlier this year, was the “exceptional” winner of the Young Citizen of the Year Award.
Over the June-July holidays Mr MacGroarty took it upon himself to walk 382km around Mackay to raise awareness and funds for veteran homelessness and suicide.
Mr Williamson said the campaign was called Just Keep Marching.
“That’s exactly what Murray did – for nine days he did circuits of the Bluewater Trail and raised more than $11,000 for the cause,” Mr Williamson said.
When young Mr MacGroarty took the stage he said a “massive thanks to the dodgy buggers from the RSL”.
“Being recognised is a bonus on top of what we’ve already achieved for the veterans homelessness community,” Mr MacGroarty said.
“We’ve raised just under $26,000 so far … it’s really great to know that we have at least done a little bit to help take a step forward in the long marathon that is sorting out homelessness in our country.”
Mr MacGroarty thanked homelessness support groups Chances and Orange Sky Laundry as well as his mum and dad.
“Awareness and support raising should continue forever more, especially for our veterans,” he said.
“Everything around us is owed straight back to the community.”
Lori Burgess Community Volunteer of the Year Award – Bonnie Spratt
Gloria Spratt, also known as Bonnie, took home the Lori Burgess Community Volunteer of the Year Award for the work she has done volunteering with organisations across the region for the past 15 years.
Ms Spratt said she was absolutely speechless upon winning the award and said “I just love doing it, making good friends”.
“I like helping people, the elderly particularly and those with disabilities,” Ms Spratt said.
“I get satisfaction out of knowing that I’m able to help people less fortunate than yourselves.”
Mr Williamson said Ms Spratt volunteered each year during November and December to gift wrap in the shopping centre to raise money for local not-for-profits.
She also volunteers for Golden Years, cooking and catering tea for seniors, works with Care Kitchen Cooking School and helped raise more than $500,000 for the Cancer Council of Queensland and the Leukaemia Foundation.
When Ms Spratt isn’t volunteering she’s with her family of four sons, nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Brenden Borellini Access and Inclusion Achievement Award – Peter Sumpter
Honoured as the inaugural recipient of the new Brenden Borellini award, Peter Sumpter has coached the Mackay Machines wheelchair basketball team for the past 17 years.
He also runs programs like wheelchair dancing, Friday fun and wheelchair basketball for people with disability.
A good friend of Mr Sumpter’s, Mr Borellini is an award-winning actor, artist, photographer and accessibility advocate, as well as completely deaf and blind.
Mr Sumpter said Mr Borellini was an inspiration to everyone who met him and he was incredibly humbled to be receiving the award and be associated with Mr Borellini’s name.
Environmental Achievement Award – Maya Harrison
Maya Harrison, the president and secretary of the friends of the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens is this year’s winner of the Environment Achievement Award.
Spending most of her spare time at the botanic gardens, Ms Harrison leads guided walks, organises educational projects and initiatives and overall works to improve the experience for all visitors.
She is also involved with the Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club, the Society for Growing Australian Plants, Toad Busters and the Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand (BGANZ) network.
Arts and Culture Award – Steven Pritchard
Taking home the Arts and Culture Award was champion of Mackay History Steven Pritchard.
Serving in the Historical Society and Museum since 2013, Mr Pritchard has worked as a research and publicity officer and also vice president.
Over the years Mr Pritchard has authored dozens of features for the Mackay Daily Mercury, including a retrospective on the opening of the Mackay Harbour wall and a remembrance of a double fatal plane crash on Peel St.
He also runs the Historical Society’s displays at Volunteer Expos and conducts heritage walks around the city centre.
Mr Pritchard’s central belief “everything has a story” and his dedication earned him the Arts and Culture Award.
Community Group Award – The North Mackay Sinkers Masters Swimming Club
For their community spirit, inclusivity and community fundraising, the North Mackay Sinkers Masters Swimming Club earned the Community Group Award.
An adult swimming club, the North Mackay Sinkers have grown to stand for much more, running a Multiple Sclerosis Super Splash fundraiser every year since 2015, raising about $64,000 to fight MS.
They also run the Starlight Super Swim and Laps for Life events each year to raise money to prevent youth suicide.
In 2024 the club raised more than $20,000 for mental health, well-being and improved outcomes for individuals with neurological and other health challenges.
For their achievements in fundraising, as well as safety awareness and cultural diversity, the North Mackay Sinkers Masters Swimming Club were honoured with the Community Group Award.
Young Sports Award – Monique Bobongie
Mackay’s own Monique Bobongie received the Young Sports award, adding to her many recent achievements.
The 2023/24 Queensland Basketball female basketballer of the year and the youngest starter in the Women’s National Basketball League at just 17, Ms Bobongie’s latest accolade is proof of her hard work and determination.
Ms Bobongie’s grandfather Eroy, accepting the award on her behalf, said she missed the award ceremony to play for the Canberra Capitals, a game they won.
“I was proud of her, of all her achievements and of what she went through,” he said.
A proud young woman of Aboriginal, Torres Strait and Australian South Sea Island heritage, Ms Bobongie sees herself as a role model and encourages other young Indigenous athletes, coaching at Mackay Basketball camps and talking to students at various schools.
Senior Sports Award – Dr Lutie van den Berg
This years recipient of the Senior Sports Award was Dr Lutie van den Berg who runs a Mackay karate dojo and is the head coach for the JKA Australian Karate team.
Running his dojo since 2000, Dr van den Berg has coached multiple world champions and earned a seventh degree black belt of his own.
In 2024 he took 100 competitors from across Australia to Takasaki, Japan to compete in the world championships, 31 of whom were from the Mackay Dojo.
A dedicated coach and mentor, Dr van den Berg demonstrates qualities of leadership and commitment to inspiring others.
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