Nominations open for borough’s Community Service Awards

NOMINATIONS have opened for the Borough of Queenscliffe’s annual Community Service Awards, with the individuals, groups and organisations that have made the most outstanding contributions to the community set to be recognised.

Each year, the borough presents up to two Citizen of the Year awards and one Community Group of the Year award, with the winners to be crowed at a ceremony held in May during National Volunteer Week.

Local legends who live, work or volunteer across the borough can be nominated by any member of the community, and self-nominations are welcomed for the community group award.

Passionate local photographer Rodney Nicholson and Queenscliff Coast Guard unit member Ric Lasslett were jointly awarded the title of Citizen of the Year in 2024, while the Queenscliffe Historical Museum was honoured with the Community Group of the Year award.

A spokesperson for the Borough of Queenscliffe said the annual Community Service Awards provide a forum to ensure the region’s valued volunteers are recognised for their contributions.

“We are fortunate to have such high levels of volunteerism and community spirit here in the borough,” the spokesperson said.

“Our community members volunteer countless hours of time and expertise for events big and small across our towns.

“We acknowledge and appreciate this contribution knowing events such as the Queenscliff Music Festival and the Queenscliffe Literary Festival would not be the successes they are without teams of dedicated and specialist volunteers.”

Nominations will close on February 25.

The borough is also now accepting expressions of interest from community members aged 16 years and over eager to join its Community Service Awards reference group.

Appointed for a two-year term, the reference group will help to pick the dedicated volunteers who will acknowledged in both the 2025 and 2026 Community Service Awards.

No experience is needed to join the reference group, with council officers on hand to support the group’s members through the process.

The reference group will meet for approximately two hours in early March to consider the candidates that have been nominated in this year’s awards against a set criteria.

The group will then make recommendations to the council on who should be awarded each title.

Expressions of interest will close on January 31.

For more information, to nominate a local legend for a Community Service Award or to join the Community Service Award reference group, head to queenscliffe.vic.gov.au