MEDIA RELEASE – 2024 Australia Day Awards Winners

The Torres Shire Council 2024 Australia Day Awards ceremony was held at TRAWQ Community Hall on 24th January 2024. Community members from the Torres Strait and NPA region were honoured for their contribution and efforts in a wonderful setting shared by family and friends.

Torres Shire Council’s Ambassador, Mr Kevin Hughes BM is no stranger to the Torres Strait, having been based on Badu Island working in the region as a Pilot. Kevin is a veteran who served in the Australian Military within Australia and overseas. He also spent a number of years in the Queensland Fire Service in Brisbane Australia before continuing his professional flying career. Kevin was a very much sought-after international pilot where his last position was flying a Gulfstream 5 jet contracted to the US Government. His life has evolved through many different areas of the work force and has seen the best and worst that life can deliver.

Kevin has received many honours and awards, the highest being a Bravery Award (BM) awarded to him by the Queen of England and bestowed upon him by the Governor General of Australia at the time, Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, CVO, MC in residence in Canberra.

With the theme Reflect, Respect, Celebrate the Australia Day Ambassador, Mr. Kevin Hughes B.M addressed participants and together with Mayor Yen Loban congratulated the following award recipients:

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD: Mr Thomas (Bakal) Nomoa

With over twenty-five (25) years of voluntary work, Thomas assists in church functions, and is a familiar face in traditional cooking, called upon many times for his advice and supervision. Thomas was recently endorsed as a member of the newly formed Council of Elders by the TRAWQ Community, demonstrating his cultural knowledge, including Buwalwoeydhay, Yathapathay ceremonies. Thomas also advises and practices traditional dancing, traditional hymns and chorus.

YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR: Ms Roseanna Sarah Nay Warrior

Roseanna resides with her family on Thursday Island. Age Champion Grade 4, Age Champion Grade 5, Age Champion Grade 6, Running Festival Basketball, Team member (with seniors) 2023 - Indigenous Comp. Basketball, 'Torres Strait Champions', Junior Rugby league (Mix team), Athletics, Field Events (school level). Roseanna has won many ribbons and medallions, some of which she gave to her family, friends and Elders.

APPRECIATION AWARD: Ms Sonia Einersen

Sonia has displayed tireless dedication to the welfare and wellbeing of the dog and cat population on Thursday Island. President of the Thursday Island Animal Support Group seemingly never sleeps, considering the hours she is putting into the group - on an entirely volunteer basis. Since its humble beginnings, the animal support group has held almost 10 clinics in partnership with VBB and the Animal Welfare League Queensland and aims to hold them every 2 to 3 months in 2024 and to extend them to Bamaga. Under Sonia's leadership almost 500 homeless, unwanted island dogs and cats found their forever homes on the mainland.

APPRECIATION AWARD: Pastors Titom and Michelle Tamwoy

Over the past 20 years Pastors Titom and Michelle Tamwoy have supported families, ministers and community with the provision and support of pastoral care often travelling by boat, plane and car to remote and isolated locations. They have provided support including house calls and regular palliative visits to cancer patients in end-of-life stage, conduct numerous funerals with cultural responsibility and sensitivity. They conducted a healing ceremony for the immediate family of the skipper who went missing in the Dauan incident.

APPRECIATION AWARD: Ms Tricia Lehmann

Trish has volunteered hundreds of hours of her time transforming Tagai State College Kindy outdoor play spaces at both Susri and Paru kindy. This has included helping to organise working bees to include the whole school community. The transformations have been remarkable.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Mr. Thomas Pedro

Thomas always displays good pasin and goes above and beyond to help both personally and professionally. As a police liaison officer currently attached to water police, he plays an important role in utilising his navigation skills to rescue families on the water. Thomas produces beautiful head dresses, re-creating this age-old form of art to keep culture alive. He always provides cultural knowledge to new officers working in the Torres Strait. He is recognised for his work within the schools and outer islands including being the DJ.

CULTURAL RECOGNITION AWARD: Ms Susan Baira

Susan is a traditional owner and the current Kala Lagaw Ya (KLY) Language and Culture Teacher at Badhulgaw Ngurpay Lag. She teaches Language and Culture to students at the campus from Prep to Year 6 and advises others across Tagai State College on language pronunciation and spelling. Susan is considered an important Elder and language leader in her community and on an ongoing basis is involved in the development of resources for language curriculum teaching. This group meets frequently to support any school or community initiatives. Recently, Susan has helped organise and led a KLY advisory group to identify and capture traditional knowledge and language for future lessons and the long-term preservation of fluent language speakers, including in the development of disability communication signage, language books, and the translation of some key Badu traditional stories. This week alone, Susan was successful in achieving the First Languages Education Program grant, yet another example of Susan’s dedication to preserving and sharing knowledge of language.

CULTURAL RECOGNITION AWARD: Mr Hans Ahwang

Hans grows traditional garden food and shares it with the whole community of St Pauls and Kubin and with TI families. He has exceptional talent through Art, educating himself through dance, drama and visual arts, in both contemporary and traditional form. Hans never refuses helping when it comes to Torres Strait Cultural activities. He helps at feastings with his decorative talent with coconut weaving. He teaches the younger children cultural dancing and has exceptional respect for all his elders.

CULTURAL RECOGNITION AWARD: BAMMOA Cultural Exchange

This event promote culture through dance and connection. It involved all families from Badu, Mabuiag, Kubin & St Paul Communities, Men Women & Children. The connection with these communities is really a rejuvenation of the concept from BAMMOA sports. Cultural dancing is taught
and displayed through this event and not just for formal celebrations, like weddings and tombstones. Connecting their neighbouring communities through culture – the BAMMOA Cultural Exchange.

EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival 2023 (WOZCF 202)

Opened by the call of the buu shell and closed by the rhythmic sounds of Island drums echoing through the cool breeze of the evening, the celebration of Torres Strait Islander culture, the 2023 Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival was held on Thursday Island during Reconciliation Week. More than 60 performances were held over four exciting days in various locations around Thursday Island. The event had been a much-needed revival for our region post COVID, post the many sorry businesses, the communities and Torres Strait region had encountered. The WOZCF 2023 stimulated this revitalisation, through its preparation, consultation, negotiation, and production. Bringing families and friends together, the dancing, singing and stalls, all supported the Cultural Revival. The last performance of the festival was a surprise for everyone - the TSC Workforce Dance team. Their performance was met with spontaneous applause from all assembled. The WOZCF 2023 was a huge success.

Cr Yen Loban, Mayor Torres Shire Council, concluded, ‘A wonderful ceremony reminding us all of the importance of our vibrant community and strong culture. Everyone has mixed feelings about Australia Day around this country, and today should also be about recognising and celebrating the First Nations people of this nation. Council is pleased to be celebrating our local people and what they have achieved. I would like to congratulate everyone for your work and what you do in our community. Happy Australia Day everyone, Always was, Always will be’.

End Release.

TSC Media Centre
Contact: CEO Dalassa Yorkston
Mobile: 0429 691 333   Email: ceo@torres.qld.gov.au