Community radio staff and volunteers win big at Australia Day Awards

“The people of the community are what makes any community radio station..." said Dave Eisenhauer, one of the recipients of a recent Australia Day Award.

The Awards, presented by local councils and federal bodies alike, have recognised the hard work and dedication of a large number of community radio volunteers and staff, and the importance that community radio plays in connecting communities.

2018 Award winners:

• Cairns Volunteer of the Year Award –  Peter Cresswell – Cairns FM; for his 37 years and more than 16,000 volunteer hours given to the station.
• Brimback Council Citizen of the Year – Rod Boyd – Stereo 974; Rod has been the General Manager of the station for the past 21 years, which has been fundamental in servicing different ethnic language groups and conducting emergency broadcasts.
• Tumut Citizen of the Year – Dave Eisenhauer – Sounds of the Mountains; Dave set up the station 16 years ago and remains its manager. The station has also been a vital emergency broadcasting service.
• Central Coast Winner Youth of the Year – Crystal Russom – Coast FM 96.3.
• Tatiara District Young Citizen of the Year – Hollie Wearne – 5tcb; for her work co-hosting the nationally syndicated 'Melomania with Scad and Hollie, and being on the 5tcb Board.
• Yass Citizen 2018 – Jan Wilson – Yass FM; for her work with the local community, including her 16 years at Yass FM, the last 5 of which she was President. Jan was also awarded an OAM in June 2017.
• Harvey Community Citizen Award – Janine Quicke – Harvey Community Radio.
• Harvey Community Youth Award – Cody Birch – Harvey Community Radio.
• Order of Australia – Darrell White – Gippsland FM; Latrobe City mayor and sports presenter on Gippsland FM for more than 30 years.
• Order of Australia – Mr Charles Nicholas Mifsud – 2ser and 2GLF FM; for his service to the Maltese community, including weekly broadcasts of Maltese programs on 2ser and 2GLF FM, 1985-2014.
• Order of Australia – Dr Fred Nickolas Nasser – 2000 FM; presenting weekly health-related programs in Arabic and English.
• Order of Australia – Angelos Frangopoulos – previous 2ser; he presented the kids' show from the age of 14; awarded for his services to broadcasting, higher education, the promotion of journalistic standards and services to the community.
• Order of Australia – Lieutenant Colonel Philip Gavan Badcock – Highand FM; for service to veterans and their families, including presenting the breakfast program, 2 days a week on Highland FM Community Radio, since 2003.
• Order of Australia – Mr Kenneth William Bock – 2RPH; for service to the community, including Volunteer Announcer and Presenter at Radio 2RPH, for over 20 years.
• Order of Australia – Mrs Ann Rosalie Bray – Yarra Valley Radio; for service to the community, including being a founding member of Yarra Valley FM Radio in 1995.
• Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia – Dr Charles Rodney Campbell – 4MBS; for significant service to education, particularly to literacy, as a practitioner, academic and author, including presenting on 4MBS for last three years.

Is there a recipient missing from this list? Email us and we will add them!

Thanks to Radio Info for collating part of this information. Picture from Tumut Times.