Wide Bay Burnett young achievers finalists in Qld awards

Young men and women from different walks of life and doing very different outstanding things in their communities across the Wide Bay and Burnett have been short-listed for the 2024 Queensland Young Achiever Awards.

Wide Bay Burnett locals named as finalists for the 2024 7NEWS Queensland Young Achiever Awards.From left: Sara Diana Faraj, Elijah Richardson, Ebony Nielsen, and Kaiden Ratcliff.

Young achievers from across the Wide Bay and Burnett have been announced as finalists for a prestigious Queensland community award which has been running for more than three decades.

Four young men and women have been named finalists for separate categories in the 2024 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards, which “acknowledge, encourage and most importantly promote the positive achievements of all young people throughout Queensland”.

Kaiden Ratcliff of Gayndah is one of five finalists in the Queensland Family and Child Commission First Nations Youth Advocacy Award.

“The contribution to community or family safety award will acknowledge a young person who is working towards protecting the rights, safety and wellbeing of children and young people, while demonstrating leadership in this space,” the awards outline states.

Ebony Nielsen of Kingaroy and Sara Diana Faraj of Pialba are finalists in the Soroptimist International Women Empowering Others Award.

“The Soroptimist International Women Empowering Others Award acknowledges and celebrates the commitment of young women in initiating and leading activities which enable change in the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and/or internationally,” the awards outline states.

Elijah Richardson of Bargara, Bundaberg is one of five finalists for the Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award.

The award is aimed at celebrating “young individuals who are driving grassroots, ‘real life’ initiatives that demonstrate genuine involvement, long-term value and add to the life of their community.”

Ebony Nielsen, Kingaroy

Kingaroy motorsports icon Ebony Nielsen was nominated for the 2024 Soroptimist International Women Empowering Others Award for her outstanding international achievements in the sport.

The 26-year-old first began riding dirt bikes at five years of age, and has already represented Australia at the 2022 International Six Day Enduro event held in France.

Despite a tough and gruelling event, Miss Nielsen and her two teammates were able to get a podium finish for the green and gold, taking out third place for her first ever International Six Day Enduro event.

Her achievements don’t end there; she is a two-time Australia Hard Enduro champion and eight-time Queensland Off Road champion and in 2022 came third in the Australian Four Day Enduro in Victoria, the podium finish earning her the spot in France.

Her athletic achievement goes beyond national and international placings, and Miss Nielsen has become regarded for her approachable, passionate coaching and modest approach to her achievements, having fostered third-party relationships with companies such as Fempro Armour.

Miss Nielsen was nominated for the award in the hopes her successes and mentality would boost the profile of women in racing, in what has been a typically male dominated sport.

There is hope her win in the Soroptimist International Women Empowering Others Award category would also encourage sponsorship opportunities, not only for herself but for young women making their name on dirt bike racing Queensland over.

Ebony Nielsen was nominated for her determined yet humble approach to a demanding sport.

Sara Diana Faraj, Pialba

With a nomination backed by Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour, Sara Diana Faraj has become a beacon of female empowerment.

The 23-year-old has a near endless list of community achievement awards under her belt, including the 2022 Fraser Coast Young Citizen of the Year, the 2020 Zonta Young Women in Public Affairs Award and the 2021 Youth Member for Hervey Bay.

Her work with Zonta was celebrated 2021 when she received the world record for the youngest Zonta president, and in 2022 the world record for youngest Zonta International committee chair.

In her position as president she has helped the homeless through initiatives such as Dignity Bags and sexual assault kits, while also supporting the club’s commitment to local sports including cricket and basketball.

Throughout her role with Zonta, and through her position as the Youth Mayor for the Fraser Coast Regional Council Miss Faraj worked to ensure women had fair access and support to participate in all levels of community and politics.

Despite a difficult start to life, which included escaping the war-torn Middle East, Miss Faraj is hoping her passion for the community will earn her a position on the Fraser Coast Regional Council, and she is currently running for the Division 9 seat.

Sara Diana Faraj is a candidate for Division 9 in the 2024 local council elections.

Elijah Richardson, Bargara

Bargara lad Elijah Richardson is 11 years old, but has already become a minor celebrity for his work caring for and promoting the natural world.

The CoralWatch Junior Ambassador has worked with the like of Billie Eilish and Australian Geographic to raise awareness for the protection of local reefs from his home at the southernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef.

His initiative, programs and media appearances are seemingly endless, as the bright faced young Bargara local has appeared on Channel 7, ABC, the Sunrise Breakfast Show, and worked on the Nets Out Now message to Stephen Miles.

These initiatives are aimed at connecting those in his community and beyond with the natural world, and through programs such as Coral Watch provide a free and accessible way to partake in social science.

He has fought for almost every level of government to be more conscious of the way agencies engage with the environment, from something as simple as the surfaces of beachside playgrounds to educating on sustainable, reusable swaps to minimise waste entering Queensland oceans.

Many of these achievements have taken determination and hardwork to realise, feats made no less impressive by the fact Mr Richardson isn’t even in high school.

Coral Watch ambassador Elijah Richardson shows The University of Queensland Vice Chancellor Deborah Terry how to use a coral health colour chart at Heron Island. Photo: Nathan White Images.

Kaiden Ratcliff, Gayndah

One might not expect to see a lifeguard in Gayndah with the North Burnett quite some distance from the ocean, but 18-year-old Kaiden Ratcliff has worked diligently to ensure the safety of his community in the water and generously offers free Learn to Swim classes as part of an ongoing dedication to water safety.

Beyond his efforts to ensure everyone in his home town are able to safely enjoy local creeks, water holes and pools, Mr Ratcliff is an impressive artist and recently hosted his first First Nations Art Exhibition at the Gayndah Art Gallery, an exhibition aimed at showcasing art from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective.

The event served as a platform to celebrate his own connections to Wakka Wakka heritage, while bridging gaps and fostering a community connection to country.

This connection to heritage also leads Mr Ratcliff to work with local events and initiatives where he adds a touch of tradition through Welcome to Country Dances and the delivery of Acknowledgements.

His already busy schedule also includes a dedication to Christian service in the Normanton community, where he volunteers annually to support local youth.

His nomination for the 2024 Queensland Family and Child Commission First Nations Youth Advocacy Award showcased a clear sense of selfless community value backed by a deep connection to the history and culture of the land where he was raised.

Kaiden Ratcliff swims the butterfly at Burnett State College 2019 swim carnival.

Originally published as Wide Bay Burnett young achievers finalists in Qld awards