Macedon Ranges rewards its best on Australia Day

MACEDON Ranges Citizen of Year Judy Cope-Williams is promising to continue championing the arts in the shire.

Music lover and supporter Judy Cope-Williams is the 2017 Macedon Ranges Resident of the Year. Picture: Kylie ELse

TODAY’S Macedon Ranges Citizen of Year recipient Judy Cope-Williams is promising to continue championing the arts in the shire.

Mrs Cope-Williams moved with her husband Gordon to Romsey more than 30 years ago, with the pair keen patrons of the arts.

The music director is chair of the Cope-Williams Arts Foundation, which provides financial assistance and development opportunities to musicians.

The Cope-Williams winery and function centre hosts up to 10 concerts and recitals per year, with community art exhibitions also held there.

The keen music lover also actively supports the Resonance String Orchestra and Music in the Central Highlands while she personally champions individual emerging musicians.

Mrs Cope-Williams told Leader music had always been a central part of her life.

“I was brought up with classical music and there has always been a piano in my house — music is my joy,” she said.

Her and her husband’s winery and function centre outside of Romsey has music incorporated into its design — there is a purpose-built chapel complete with a 130-year-old grand piano where the acoustics support recitals.

Mrs Cope-Williams said her love of music fit into a region where there is the popular Woodend Winter Arts Festival.

“We live in a great art area where there are many top quality artists living,” she said.

Last year the former Royal Tennis Court at the Cope-Williams winery was converted into an art space which is to house a permanent indigenous and south pacific collection compiled by art collector Neil McLeod. Mrs Cope-Williams said the official opening was expected in March.

The Macedon Ranges Young Resident of the Year was awarded to Woodend’s Ashley Eadon, who has already helped build village wells and set up holiday program for children in the Philippines and Solomon Islands. Her efforts attracted the attention of Latrobe University, which has awarded her an Aspire scholarship.

The Community Event of the Year was awarded to the Zonta International Women’s Day Dinner 2016, an annual event in Kyneton empowering women and celebrating local women and their achievements.

The Community Achievement Award went to Lancefield’s Amy Bell, who for five years has driven plans for a Lancefield Skate Park, a project set to be realised after a more than 20-year-campaign to be built this year.