Byron’s Australia Day ambassador has a coastal focus
The shire’s award event will again be held prior to Australia Day in a show of respect.
Byron Shire
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The Byron Shire’s Australia Day Ambassador for 2021 will be Surfrider Foundation founder Brad Farmer.
He will be present alongside Byron mayor Simon Richardson at the shire's Australia Day Awards ceremony, held the day before Australia Day itself.
As we await the announcement of this year’s winners, you can revisit the stories of last year’s awardees here.
Byron’s Citizen of the Year for 2020 was Helen Hamilton, who was later a finalist in the 2020 Volunteer of the Year Awards.
This year’s ambassador, Mr Farmer, was named a Member of the Order of Australia for his voluntary contributions to the community.
He is Tourism Australia’s beach ambassador.
Mr Farmer grew up on the Gold Coast and founded the Surfrider Foundation Australia, Ocean Care Day and the National and World Surfing Reserves movements.
He has given 40 years volunteering his time in advocating for beach community.
But life hasn’t always been about the coast for him; he was imprisoned and interrogated by the Soviet KGB as a young Greenpeace antinuclear campaigner in 1990.
He was released by way of a presidential pardon.
Mr Farmer will be at the Byron Shire Australia Day Awards at the Cavanbah Centre in Ewingsdale on Monday, January 25.
The event will run from 5.30 to 7.30pm.
It is a ticketed event; entry is $15 per ticket.
The Byron Shire’s citizenship ceremony is an invitation-only event and will be held at the same venue from 10am Tuesday.
An Aussie barbecue will be held at Ocean Shores from 12 noon on Tuesday.
The shire’s usual Survival Day event will not be held this year because of COVID concerns.
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