Local captain named Citizen of the Year for vital service to marine rescue

BALLINA Marine Rescue boat captain Geoff Hutchinson has been named Citizen of the Year at the Australia Day awards, recognised for hundreds of hours of volunteer service protecting lives on local waterways.

It was a double celebration for Hutchinson, with Ballina Marine Rescue also named joint winner of Volunteer of the Year on the day.

Over the past 12 months, Hutchinson has attended 37 rescues and assists, often in challenging and dangerous sea conditions.

“It was a bit of a shock — I was just happy that we had won the other award,” he said.

“To hear your name called out in that type of setting is very emotional.

“It really is a team effort. We’re made up entirely of volunteers, we train people up as radio operators and help other units across the region.”

Among the most significant incidents was a 3am mayday call in November 2024, when Hutchinson responded to a sinking trawler east of Lennox Head, rescuing two fishermen from the water just moments before the vessel went down.

Tyler Causley-James was named Young Citizen of the Year for his work with Ballina SES and Marine Rescue. Sam Miller was recognised with the sport award for having for spent more than two decades as a coach and volunteer at Lennox Head surf lifesaving club. Photos: SUPPLIED

He also led Ballina’s response to a four-day search for a missing Queensland Police officer off Broken Head, skippering more than 500 kilometres in demanding seas.

In June, Hutchinson undertook a 19-hour offshore mission to locate and tow a stranded jet ski 18 kms back to Ballina and later joined a 10-hour coastal search for an overdue catamaran carrying two people.

Beyond frontline rescue operations, Hutchinson dedicates significant time to training and mentoring new recruits, improving operational procedures and fundraising for a replacement rescue vessel.

He wrote a book, Shipwrecked: History of Richmond River Bar Ballina 1840–2024, documenting more than 90 recorded shipwrecks along the Richmond River.

Sam Miller was recognised with the sport award for having for spent more than two decades as a coach and volunteer at Lennox Head surf lifesaving club. Photo: SUPPLIED

Funds raised from the book were put towards covering the cost of the replacement vessel.

Hutchinson said sales exceeded expectations with Ballina Fishermen’s Co-Op had sold 450 of the 840 copies sold locally, donating the proceeds back to Marine Rescue.

Meanwhile, Tyler Causley-James was named Young Citizen of the Year for his work with Ballina SES and Marine Rescue.

He has completed boat training with Marine Rescue and played a key role in SES flood-response teams.

Other award recipients included Kenneth Brown (Senior Citizen of the Year), John Smith (Volunteer of the Year – joint winner), Jim Hawkins (Arts and Culture), Lennox Head Landcare and Partners (Environmental), Sam Miller (Sport), and North Coast Show and Shine (Community Event).