Darwin City Council crowns Australia Day 2023 award winners
Darwin City Council has awarded its Citizen of the Year winners while we can reveal the nominees in other Territory councils. See the full list here.
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A ten-pin bowling coach to people with a disability has taken out the city’s top community honour.
Kaye Talbot has been awarded the City of Darwin’s Citizen of the Year award for bringing keen sportspeople with a disability into the bowling alley for more than 15 years.
The council’s Young Citizen of the Year and Community Activity awards have been announced as well.
A list of Australia Day award finalists in Alice Springs and Katherine can also be revealed.
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City of Darwin
Citizen of the Year
Kaye Talbot
A keen bowler for more than three decades, Ms Talbot has been teaching people with a disability how to knock down a strike since 2007.
She has attracted up to 40 participants of all ages, from teens to retirees, while her one-on-one coaching has helped many reach national-level competition.
Ms Talbot was also rewarded with an induction into the NT Bowling Hall of Fame two years ago.
“I didn’t even know I’d been nominated,” Ms Talbot said.
“Some of the juniors start off a bit self-conscious but after they’ve come out for a few weeks and start knocking down more pins they just shine – they love it.
“It is so rewarding.”
Young Citizen of the Year
Erika Mae Lue
Philippines-born Erika Mae Lu arrived in Darwin as an international high-school student, only to stay in her adopted home and contribute more to its community than most.
She became a citizen in 2019 and has embraced the Top End by volunteering for several organisations, including Answering the Cry of the Poor, Filipino-Australian Association NT and the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Ms Mae Lue is also a founding member and executive director of Young Professionals Roteract NT, helping young professionals and graduates step up as leaders in their chosen fields.
Community Activity Award
Nepal Festival
This year’s Community Activity Award was crowned upon the Nepal Festival’s 2022 event, One Country, Many Stories.
The day-long festival at the Darwin Waterfront was put together by more than 300 volunteers and drew an estimated 10,000 visitors.
The Nepali Rock Band flew into the Top End to perform at the event alongside celebrations of the country’s unique traditions, art, food and folklore.
Mayor Kon Vatskalis said the breadth of nominations proved “community spirit is alive and well in Darwin”.
“Kaye and Erica are people with a sense of both community and compassion, and Nepal Festival 2022 was incredible, attracting an estimated 10,000 people in just a single day to the Darwin Waterfront in June last year,” he said.
“None of the winners set out to earn formal recognition but their achievements have added to our community and therefore deserve special acknowledgment.”
Citizen of the Year finalists
Caterina Venturin
Gary Strachan
Sabeeha Nihad
David Kurnoth
Young Citizen of the Year finalists
Ali Dhirani
Isabelle Craven
Shaun Edwards
Hajrah Kamran
Community Activity of the Year finalists
Darwin Harbour Clean-Up
Darwin Frocktails
Deadly Hair Dude Indigenous and Special Needs Hairdressing Training
Masterbait Blue Hearts Beach Clean Up
Katherine Town Council
Citizen of the Year finalists
Lee Henderson
Rachel Wilson Quayle
Robert Smets
Ronald Green
Ben Coutts
Brett Barney
Donna Capes
Kate Corney
Alice Springs Town Council
Centralian Citizen of the Year finalists
Darren Clark
Karan Kumar
Leony Bowey
Young Centralian Citizen of the Year finalists
Connie Anne Shaw
Jordon Humphreys
Community Event of the Year finalists
Central Australian Show Society’s Alice Springs Christmas Show
Alice Springs Seniors Expo 2022
Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia’s Big Day Out in Harmony
2022 NT Volunteer of the Year Awards Ceremony
Olive Pink Botanic Garden Opera
Senior Citizen of the Year finalists
Graham ‘Tjilpi’ Buckley
Jennifer McFarland
John Bermingham
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