COVID-19 pandemic claims Pinefest ambassador

The news was revealed at today’s council meeting.

Yeppoon Lions’ Tropical Pinefest will go ahead this year, but without an ambassador. File photo.

PINEFEST is one of the highlights on Yeppoon’s social calendar but this year’s event won’t have an ambassador, it was revealed today.

Cr Nigel Hutton told a Livingstone Shire Council meeting the ambassadorial role in 2020 was a victim of coronavirus.

“There won’t be anyone fulfilling that role due to the COVID circumstances,” Cr Hutton said.

“While there will be a Pinefest festival, there won’t be an ambassador per se.”

2019: SEE THE BEST MOMENTS FROM THIS YEAR’S PINEFEST CELEBRATIONS

Normally the Pinefest ambassador is part of Livingstone’s Australia Day Award Advisory Committee, but that won’t be the case in 2021.

Today the council formalised this committee with deputy mayor Adam Belot appointed chairman.

Other committee members are Cr Tanya Lynch; Cr Andrea Friend, Susan Pullar (2020 Citizen of the Year); Jason Field (Emu Park Rugby League president and Indigenous representative); Katie Connor (Honey Bee Collective, Emu Park); Melinda Mackenzie (The Caves Progress Association); Glenn Adamus (local and internationally renowned photographer); Andrew Gill (North Keppel Education Centre principal) and Lance Warcon (Indigenous representative).

The council settled on the following categories for the 2021 Australia Day Awards:

- Citizen of the Year

- Young Citizen of the Year

- Living Legends Award

- Community Group of the Year

- Public Service Award

Cr Pat Eastwood said following last November’s bushfires and this year’s coronavirus crisis, there would be plenty of worthy award nominees out there in the shire.

“One thing that does concern me is, out there in the community, there are a number of individuals and groups that, I guess it’s the Aussie way, (they) don’t put themselves forward or don’t want to be put forward by others (for awards),” he said.

“I just would like to encourage our community to put up (nominate) people that you know are doing a fantastic job.

“I guess that means we need to get some more press behind it as well, so that we have more nominations.”

This year’s Pinefest will be held on October 9 and 10.