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Boorowa Misses Out On Australia Day Ambassador

2024 Boorowa Ambassador Greg Donovan.

Boorowa will be without an Australian Day Ambassador for their 2025 Australia Day awards ceremony this year, while Young, Harden and the village of Wombat will share two ambassadors as they have in the past.

Some locals are not happy with the outcome for Boorowa with one stating, “Very disappointing! Hilltops Council put up a post last week announcing Young and Harden ambassadors, and Boorowa’s was to be confirmed. They have ignored questions on their social media posts about this and no one at council will even admit over the phone that we are not getting one this year. Not good enough from our council – the lack of communication and consultation needs to be addressed.”

Another said, “it’s a … little disappointing, well maybe a lot !!! surely there would be someone that knows someone that could pop on over here for a few hours ??”

Two other comments were made by a page not a person and a third comment by a person had a confused emoji.

Young will have Mr Michael Tomalaris.

BIO – “For up to 30 years, award-winning journalist and presenter Michael Tomalaris was the face of world cycling for SBS Television. He covered and hosted the Tour de France on location from 1996 to 2021.

Michael’s contribution to the coverage of world cycling was recognised in 2011 when he won the Australian Sports Commission Media Award for Best Coverage of Sport by an Individual. That same year, he delivered one of the biggest moments in Australian sport when Cadel Evans became the first, and only, Australian to win the Tour de France, presenting the occasion with the professionalism and emotion it demanded.

With over 30 years’ experience as a sports journalist, Michael reported on the world’s biggest events, including the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, the Giro d’Italia, La Vuelta, and the Tour Down Under. In addition to covering the busy international sporting calendar, Michael served as a senior journalist and presenter for SBS World News.

His career reached its pinnacle when he was awarded a Knighthood by the French Republic for his services in promoting France to Australian television audiences.

Michael is known for his supreme knowledge of cycling, expert analysis, and infectious passion he brings to his commentary and reporting. Michael is known for his supreme knowledge of cycling, expert analysis, and the infectious passion he brings to his commentary and reporting. He has also earned recognition for his polished style as a news presenter.

Since retiring from broadcasting, Michael has devoted his time to cycling and playing an active role as a cycling advocate, encouraging as many people as possible to experience the thrill of the two-wheeled machine.”

Harden and Wombat will have Mr Peter McLean.

BIO – “Peter recently joined the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) as their Executive Officer and is the former NSW CEO of Keep Australia Beautiful.

Growing up on a rural property on the banks of the Hawkesbury Nepean River and currently living near Camden in far south-Western Sydney, Peter has a background in local government including working at Warringah Council while his state government experience includes working for National Parks and Wildlife Service before moving into the not-for-profit sector in 2004 joining Keep Australia Beautiful NSW.

In his 11 years at Keep Australia Beautiful, Peter managed litter reduction campaigns and various community development programs like Tidy Towns before becoming CEO in 2007 where he successfully strengthened the organisation’s public profile, community achievements and financial sustainability.

Peter holds a degree in Environmental Management, a Master’s in Business Administration (sub-majoring in Business Law and Public Relations) and Certificates in Bush Regeneration and Business Governance. He also enjoys volunteering as an Australia Day Ambassador each year and is the President of the Macarthur Cycling Club.

From his strong understanding and knowledge in local government, Peter regularly advises and assists various local councils on a variety of issues including social, environmental practices and financial management.

Peter is passionate about supporting an effective nutrient cycle and ensuring that our soils thrive – healthy soils mean healthy people, environments, and economies.”

In 2024 Boorowa had the services of Mr Greg Donovan (pictured). Greg had an impressive resume. “Greg is the founder of ‘Born to Run’ and is a motivational speaker. In 2008 Greg’s son Stephen, who was 14 at the time, was diagnosed with both Type 1 diabetes and Coeliac disease at the same time, which was devastating to Stephen and his family.

Greg dedicated himself to doing something to raise funds to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes, and with his experience in running and fundraising, in 2012 he founded the Born to Run Foundation to achieve this goal.

Greg put together a 5 person running team, dubbed Team Born to Run, which included himself and his oldest son Matthew. The team tackled the gruelling 4 deserts running series, which involves running 250km across each of 4 of the most forbidding deserts in the world, with the series finishing in Antarctica. The 4 deserts series is rated by Time Magazine alongside Tour de France and Dakar Rally as one of the top 10 most challenging endurance events on the planet. Only 11 people have managed to achieve this feat, and the 5 person Born to Run Team is the first team to complete the 4 Desert Grand Slam, and also contains both the youngest and oldest person to achieve this feat as well as the first father and son, the first couple and first type 1 diabetic. Greg says that by literally going to all ends of the earth to bring awareness and raise funds he hopes he can inspire others to do more to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

Realising the life changing affects of running 250km across deserts Greg has introduced this form of running sport to Australia by establishing the Big Red Run, an annual week long running event based out of Birdsville in the Simpson Desert, allowing Australians the ability to enjoy this unique experience and raise funds for Type 1 diabetes research, as well as drawing in people from around the world to enjoy the Australian outback. In July 2013 Greg ran 250km in this event with his son Stephen who has Type 1, and this inaugural event in 2013 raised over $160,000 for Type 1 diabetes research, and after 6 years has now raised over $1.1m for JDRF.

Since then Greg has also founded the Anzac Day Challenge, a 100km Trail running event that in its first year in 2015 raised over $120,000 for Soldier On and Mates 4 Mates. He also founded Australia’s most remote music festival the Birdsville Big Red Bash, which in 2018 was headlined by John Farnham and saw over 9,000 people rocking the Simpson Desert, generating over $11m in tourism benefits for the many small outback towns surrounding the festival.”

However, Boorowa ceremonies may be left to Boorowa based Councillors in Jo Mackey and James Blackwell. Mackey in her second term and Blackwell just a few months in to his first term having been elected in 2024.

It is a disappointing development for the smallest of the three major towns.

The Australia Day Ambassador Program is one of the longest-running and most successful national Australia Day Programs sending high achieving Australians to over 300 community celebrations nationwide every Australia Day.

Ambassadors are past recipients of the Australian of the Year Awards, sportspeople, scientists, businesspeople, actors and community workers who provide inspiration and pride to Australia Day events and activities.

The Australia Day website makes mention of Boorowa with the following information. “Free entertainment for kids and adults. Free catering is available for all attendees, citizenship celebration ceremony, and community involvement recognition ceremony. Australia Day promotional material on display, all-inclusive Family fun activities across the Hilltops Region. DATE 26th January, from 8:00 AM. Boorowa Recreation Park,
Pudman Street, Boorowa NSW 2586, Australia.

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