Community awards
Hepburn Shire Council’s annual Community Awards recognise local citizens and groups who have made significant contributions to our community.
Anyone can nominate a citizen, young citizen, or community group for an award. Council announces award winners during its annual Civic Event held on 25 January each year.
At Hepburn Shire Council's 2024 Community Awards Ceremony, Councillors announced a new award category that debuted in 2025—the Hepburn Together Award, designed to capture and recognise group activities across the Shire.
Previous winners
2025
Citizen of the Year – Steven Ellis
Community Event of the Year – 160th Anniversary Clunes Show
Hepburn Together – Daylesford and Hepburn United Soccer Club
2024
Joint Citizens of the Year – Pat Tacey and Neville Cartledge
Young Citizen of the Year – Alice Newitt
Community Event of the Year – ChillOut Festival
A Special Commendation was presented to the band Elysium
2023
Citizen of the Year – John Drife
Young Citizen of the Year – Atticus Punt-Trethewey
Community Event of the Year – The Great Dividing Trail Association Reconciliation Walks
2022
Citizen of the Year – Danny Moynihan
Young Citizen of the Year – Katie Topp
Community Event of the Year – Feast on Fraser Street – Christmas in Clunes, organised by Clunes Neighbourhood House
Life membership award for services to Town Crying and the Community, presented on behalf of the Australasian Guild of Town Criers – Philip Greenbank
2021
Citizen of the Year – Philip Greenbank
Young Citizen of the Year – Matilda Hill
Community Event of the Year – Daylesford and District Horticultural Society Webinar Series
2020
Citizen of the Year – David Hall
Young Citizen of the Year – Lachlan Wrigley
Community Event of the Year – Clunes Ceramic Awards
2019
Citizen of the Year – Lawrence Porter
Young Citizen of the Year – Ethan Brown
Community Event of the Year – Centenary of the Shire of Creswick Avenue of Honour at Kingston
2018
Citizen of the Year – Peter Hanrahan
Young Citizen of the Year – Georgia Drewer
Community Event of the Year – The Daylesford Art Show and ARTober
2017
Citizen of the Year – Valerie Lawrence
Young Citizen of the Year – Jacob Clarke-Demaj
Community Event of the Year – Mollongghip Poetry Slam
2016
Citizen of the Year – Michael Cheshire
Young Citizen of the Year – Oscar Broad
Community Event of the Year – Creswick 1915
2015
Citizen of the Year – Graeme Johnstone
Young Citizen of the Year – Molly Bedwell
Community Event of the Year – Love your Sister Homecoming
2014
Citizen of the Year – Bob Kennedy
Young Citizen of the Year – Dillon Godfrey
Community Event of the Year awarded jointly to – 175th Anniversary Celebration of Settlement of Smeaton and Great Day in the Gardens – Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens (150th
Anniversary Celebrations)
2013
Citizen of the Year – John Walter
Young Citizen of the Year – Amy Harrison
Community Event of the Year – Children’s Booktown 2012
2012
Citizen of the Year – Jane Lesock
Young Citizen of the Year – Matthew Stephens
Community Event of the Year – Creswick/Clunes Thanks to the Community
2011
Citizen of the Year – Iris Jones
Community Event of the Year – Lyonville Inaugural Fireman’s Ball
2010
Citizen of the Year – Mac Fawcett
Young Citizen of the Year – Joshua Gilligan
Community Event of the Year – Banquet@Bailey hosted by the Clunes Tourist and Development Association.
2009
Citizen of the Year – Johanna Van Oostveen
Community Event of the Year – Creswick Hospital Auxiliary’s “It’s a Shoe Thing” exhibition.