Mat Bowtell is Victoria’s top regional achiever

A Gippsland engineer has taken out regional Victoria’s top community award. Here are all the details.

A PHIILLIP Island resident who pivoted from prosthetic hands to face shields during the coronavirus pandemic has been named regional Victoria’s top achiever.

Mat Bowtell, from Cowes, took out the honour at the Regional Achievement and Community Awards tonight.

Mr Bowtell is founder of Free 3D Hands, where he makes printed hands that he makes freely available throughout the world.

When COVID-19 hit, he repurposed his equipment to produce more than 2000 free face shields for the local Bass Coat health.

Mr Bowtell earlier won the Regional Development Victoria Leadership and Innovation Award.

He was the judged the overall regional achiever after being selected from each category winner.

The judges of the award said Mr Bowtell was: “innovative, selfless and community serving and then pivoting to cover a huge need in the community”.

Mallacoota’s Leo op den Brouw was awarded the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Community Resilience Award for his role as Mallacoota SES Unit Control during the devastating summer bushfires, while Shepparton’s John Anderson was the Awards Australia Community Hero Award.

Mr Anderson is a well-known Shepparton figure who has spent many years helping the local community.

Kelly Vandenberg, founder of Gippsland Horse and Stock Safe Bushfire Assistance was also announced as the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

The winners

Awards Australia Community Hero Award – John Anderson

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Community

Resilience Award – Leo op den Brouw

GOTAFE Community Education Award – Ganbina

GOTAFE Community Group Award – A Better Life For Foster Kids

Prime Super Agricultural Innovation Award – Soilkee

Prime Super Employer Excellence in Aged Care Award – Strzelecki House a Japara Home

Regional Development Victoria Business Achievement Award – Jackal Fencing

Regional Development Victoria Leadership and Innovation Award – Mat Bowtell

Ricoh Australia Customer Service Award – Alex Lemmon

2020 Bank of Melbourne Regional Achiever of the Year – Mat Bowtell

The awards are supported by The Weekly Times, Prime7 and Bank of Melbourne.