Yarra Ranges Council recognises community members with Australia Day Awards
The owner of Olinda’s most famous restaurant has been recognised by a Melbourne council more than 60 years since she and late celebrity chef husband Willi Koeppen moved to Australia.
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The Cuckoo’s Karin Koeppen is one of the 13 community members recognised in Yarra Ranges Australia Day Awards.
Mrs Koeppen, 85, immigrated to Australia from Germany in 1956, and with her husband Wilhelm, started the well-known Olinda smorgasbord, The Cuckoo.
The Ferny Creek woman was given a certificate of recognition for giving back to the community by contributing to many groups, holding fundraisers and a passion for where she lives.
Award recipients included Citizen of the Year Paul Tripp, who has volunteered in the Scouts for 30 years, and is president of the Lilydale Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
Dick Lieth was awarded the Mayor’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless passion for Warburton.
Young Citizen of the Year was Jayden Crozier, a young Aboriginal man whose interest in law and politics took him to the United Nations.
Environmentalist of the Year went to Bill Incoll, who has passionately worked for decades to preserve and enhance the Dandenong Ranges.
Mike O’Meara was given the Ian De La Rue Award for Community Leadership after decades working to improve the lives of returned service people.
Mr O’Meara is the chair of the Vasey RSL Care and Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop Medical Research Foundation, and retired Department of Veterans’ Affairs deputy commissioner of Victoria.
Groups that took out awards included the Platypulse Project Team, a group of students from Belgrave Heights Christian School who helped develop a digital sensor to monitor water quality.
The Lilydale Agricultural and Horticultural Society was award Community Group of the Year.
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Others who received certificates of recognition were Thomas Hennessy, Tracey Boyd, Bec Brannigan, John Stanhope, Morris Maxwell Pam Ramadge and Maisie James.
Mayor Richard Higgins said he congratulated award winners who have all shown passion, commitment and care for others in their professional, academic and personal lives.
“If you ask people what they love about the Yarra Ranges, the answer is usually … the people and the sense of the community is one of our greatest assets,” Cr Higgins said.