Latest news with #AustralianoftheYearAwards
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
'It's not just about one person': Dinosaur hero digs into community spirit
David Elliott still remembers the moment he heard his name read out at the Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra last year. Surrounded by people whose stories left him humbled, the executive chairman of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum at Winton, Queensland, didn't expect to be called to the stage. "I was sitting there thinking about all the incredible Australians in the room," Mr Elliott said. "I had already decided it wasn't going to be me. So when my name came up as Australia's Local Hero for 2024, I think I just sat there for a second, stunned. It took a little while to sink in." For Mr Elliott, who has spent more than two decades unearthing dinosaurs in Queensland's red soil, the recognition wasn't about personal glory. It was about the team, the community and the idea that extraordinary things can grow from ordinary people with big dreams. With nominations for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards closing on July 31, he hopes Australians will look closer at the unsung heroes in their own lives. Being named Australia's Local Hero in 2024 had created opportunities for the museum, Mr Elliott said. "Now when I go to talk to people, they know who you are and what you're doing. That credibility is really important. Before, a lot of them hadn't heard of us." While the museum already had strong partnerships in scientific circles, the award expanded its profile to the the broader public. "We were well known among researchers and universities, but not as much outside that world. "This recognition has helped change that. Recognition inspires people to keep going and often motivates others around them. It's not just about one person, it's about lifting a whole community." Out in Winton, a small town in Queensland's rugged heart, the pace of life has picked up since the award. Meetings, fossil digs and pushing forward a vision that began at his kitchen table with wife Judy more than 20 years ago has become all-consuming. This year, much of his energy is going into an ambitious plan for an Australian natural history museum. "We want to go beyond dinosaurs," Mr Elliott said. "This is about Australia's entire natural history, animals, plants, landscapes. It's our story, and what we're building now will inspire kids in 50 or 100 years." The groundbreaking dinosaur work continues. In June, the museum made global headlines with a world first: discovery of the preserved stomach contents of a Diamantinasaurus, nicknamed Judy. The find, including fossilised plants and dinosaur skin, drew international attention. "These discoveries entice people to visit and remind them that world-class science happens here too," he said. The buzz around a new Jurassic Park movie in cinemas has also been a boost: "It brings a wave of curiosity. As the museum grows and more fossils go on display, those numbers will keep rising". After his year as Australia's Local Hero, Mr Elliott finds conversations for the museum easier to start, potential partners more eager to listen and locals in Winton feeling proud. "It means I can walk into a meeting and people know the museum and what we stand for," he said. "That credibility is invaluable for a not-for-profit organisation. "It's about more than the museum, it's about showing that you can achieve big things no matter where you are, as long as you've got determination and community support." Mr Elliott urges Australians to think about the "extraordinary people all around us" for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. "The volunteer who shows up rain or shine, the teacher who goes above and beyond, the neighbour who's always helping others," he said. "They don't ask for attention, but their efforts change lives." The act of nominating someone was powerful: "That recognition can give people the push to keep going. It also inspires others to step up and make a difference. "When you're chosen, you carry the weight of all the people out there doing good who haven't been recognised yet. You feel like you've got to use the platform to highlight them too". Who inspires you? Who should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 awards at David Elliott still remembers the moment he heard his name read out at the Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra last year. Surrounded by people whose stories left him humbled, the executive chairman of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum at Winton, Queensland, didn't expect to be called to the stage. "I was sitting there thinking about all the incredible Australians in the room," Mr Elliott said. "I had already decided it wasn't going to be me. So when my name came up as Australia's Local Hero for 2024, I think I just sat there for a second, stunned. It took a little while to sink in." For Mr Elliott, who has spent more than two decades unearthing dinosaurs in Queensland's red soil, the recognition wasn't about personal glory. It was about the team, the community and the idea that extraordinary things can grow from ordinary people with big dreams. With nominations for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards closing on July 31, he hopes Australians will look closer at the unsung heroes in their own lives. Being named Australia's Local Hero in 2024 had created opportunities for the museum, Mr Elliott said. "Now when I go to talk to people, they know who you are and what you're doing. That credibility is really important. Before, a lot of them hadn't heard of us." While the museum already had strong partnerships in scientific circles, the award expanded its profile to the the broader public. "We were well known among researchers and universities, but not as much outside that world. "This recognition has helped change that. Recognition inspires people to keep going and often motivates others around them. It's not just about one person, it's about lifting a whole community." Out in Winton, a small town in Queensland's rugged heart, the pace of life has picked up since the award. Meetings, fossil digs and pushing forward a vision that began at his kitchen table with wife Judy more than 20 years ago has become all-consuming. This year, much of his energy is going into an ambitious plan for an Australian natural history museum. "We want to go beyond dinosaurs," Mr Elliott said. "This is about Australia's entire natural history, animals, plants, landscapes. It's our story, and what we're building now will inspire kids in 50 or 100 years." The groundbreaking dinosaur work continues. In June, the museum made global headlines with a world first: discovery of the preserved stomach contents of a Diamantinasaurus, nicknamed Judy. The find, including fossilised plants and dinosaur skin, drew international attention. "These discoveries entice people to visit and remind them that world-class science happens here too," he said. The buzz around a new Jurassic Park movie in cinemas has also been a boost: "It brings a wave of curiosity. As the museum grows and more fossils go on display, those numbers will keep rising". After his year as Australia's Local Hero, Mr Elliott finds conversations for the museum easier to start, potential partners more eager to listen and locals in Winton feeling proud. "It means I can walk into a meeting and people know the museum and what we stand for," he said. "That credibility is invaluable for a not-for-profit organisation. "It's about more than the museum, it's about showing that you can achieve big things no matter where you are, as long as you've got determination and community support." Mr Elliott urges Australians to think about the "extraordinary people all around us" for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. "The volunteer who shows up rain or shine, the teacher who goes above and beyond, the neighbour who's always helping others," he said. "They don't ask for attention, but their efforts change lives." The act of nominating someone was powerful: "That recognition can give people the push to keep going. It also inspires others to step up and make a difference. "When you're chosen, you carry the weight of all the people out there doing good who haven't been recognised yet. You feel like you've got to use the platform to highlight them too". Who inspires you? Who should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 awards at David Elliott still remembers the moment he heard his name read out at the Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra last year. Surrounded by people whose stories left him humbled, the executive chairman of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum at Winton, Queensland, didn't expect to be called to the stage. "I was sitting there thinking about all the incredible Australians in the room," Mr Elliott said. "I had already decided it wasn't going to be me. So when my name came up as Australia's Local Hero for 2024, I think I just sat there for a second, stunned. It took a little while to sink in." For Mr Elliott, who has spent more than two decades unearthing dinosaurs in Queensland's red soil, the recognition wasn't about personal glory. It was about the team, the community and the idea that extraordinary things can grow from ordinary people with big dreams. With nominations for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards closing on July 31, he hopes Australians will look closer at the unsung heroes in their own lives. Being named Australia's Local Hero in 2024 had created opportunities for the museum, Mr Elliott said. "Now when I go to talk to people, they know who you are and what you're doing. That credibility is really important. Before, a lot of them hadn't heard of us." While the museum already had strong partnerships in scientific circles, the award expanded its profile to the the broader public. "We were well known among researchers and universities, but not as much outside that world. "This recognition has helped change that. Recognition inspires people to keep going and often motivates others around them. It's not just about one person, it's about lifting a whole community." Out in Winton, a small town in Queensland's rugged heart, the pace of life has picked up since the award. Meetings, fossil digs and pushing forward a vision that began at his kitchen table with wife Judy more than 20 years ago has become all-consuming. This year, much of his energy is going into an ambitious plan for an Australian natural history museum. "We want to go beyond dinosaurs," Mr Elliott said. "This is about Australia's entire natural history, animals, plants, landscapes. It's our story, and what we're building now will inspire kids in 50 or 100 years." The groundbreaking dinosaur work continues. In June, the museum made global headlines with a world first: discovery of the preserved stomach contents of a Diamantinasaurus, nicknamed Judy. The find, including fossilised plants and dinosaur skin, drew international attention. "These discoveries entice people to visit and remind them that world-class science happens here too," he said. The buzz around a new Jurassic Park movie in cinemas has also been a boost: "It brings a wave of curiosity. As the museum grows and more fossils go on display, those numbers will keep rising". After his year as Australia's Local Hero, Mr Elliott finds conversations for the museum easier to start, potential partners more eager to listen and locals in Winton feeling proud. "It means I can walk into a meeting and people know the museum and what we stand for," he said. "That credibility is invaluable for a not-for-profit organisation. "It's about more than the museum, it's about showing that you can achieve big things no matter where you are, as long as you've got determination and community support." Mr Elliott urges Australians to think about the "extraordinary people all around us" for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. "The volunteer who shows up rain or shine, the teacher who goes above and beyond, the neighbour who's always helping others," he said. "They don't ask for attention, but their efforts change lives." The act of nominating someone was powerful: "That recognition can give people the push to keep going. It also inspires others to step up and make a difference. "When you're chosen, you carry the weight of all the people out there doing good who haven't been recognised yet. You feel like you've got to use the platform to highlight them too". Who inspires you? Who should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 awards at David Elliott still remembers the moment he heard his name read out at the Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra last year. Surrounded by people whose stories left him humbled, the executive chairman of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum at Winton, Queensland, didn't expect to be called to the stage. "I was sitting there thinking about all the incredible Australians in the room," Mr Elliott said. "I had already decided it wasn't going to be me. So when my name came up as Australia's Local Hero for 2024, I think I just sat there for a second, stunned. It took a little while to sink in." For Mr Elliott, who has spent more than two decades unearthing dinosaurs in Queensland's red soil, the recognition wasn't about personal glory. It was about the team, the community and the idea that extraordinary things can grow from ordinary people with big dreams. With nominations for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards closing on July 31, he hopes Australians will look closer at the unsung heroes in their own lives. Being named Australia's Local Hero in 2024 had created opportunities for the museum, Mr Elliott said. "Now when I go to talk to people, they know who you are and what you're doing. That credibility is really important. Before, a lot of them hadn't heard of us." While the museum already had strong partnerships in scientific circles, the award expanded its profile to the the broader public. "We were well known among researchers and universities, but not as much outside that world. "This recognition has helped change that. Recognition inspires people to keep going and often motivates others around them. It's not just about one person, it's about lifting a whole community." Out in Winton, a small town in Queensland's rugged heart, the pace of life has picked up since the award. Meetings, fossil digs and pushing forward a vision that began at his kitchen table with wife Judy more than 20 years ago has become all-consuming. This year, much of his energy is going into an ambitious plan for an Australian natural history museum. "We want to go beyond dinosaurs," Mr Elliott said. "This is about Australia's entire natural history, animals, plants, landscapes. It's our story, and what we're building now will inspire kids in 50 or 100 years." The groundbreaking dinosaur work continues. In June, the museum made global headlines with a world first: discovery of the preserved stomach contents of a Diamantinasaurus, nicknamed Judy. The find, including fossilised plants and dinosaur skin, drew international attention. "These discoveries entice people to visit and remind them that world-class science happens here too," he said. The buzz around a new Jurassic Park movie in cinemas has also been a boost: "It brings a wave of curiosity. As the museum grows and more fossils go on display, those numbers will keep rising". After his year as Australia's Local Hero, Mr Elliott finds conversations for the museum easier to start, potential partners more eager to listen and locals in Winton feeling proud. "It means I can walk into a meeting and people know the museum and what we stand for," he said. "That credibility is invaluable for a not-for-profit organisation. "It's about more than the museum, it's about showing that you can achieve big things no matter where you are, as long as you've got determination and community support." Mr Elliott urges Australians to think about the "extraordinary people all around us" for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. "The volunteer who shows up rain or shine, the teacher who goes above and beyond, the neighbour who's always helping others," he said. "They don't ask for attention, but their efforts change lives." The act of nominating someone was powerful: "That recognition can give people the push to keep going. It also inspires others to step up and make a difference. "When you're chosen, you carry the weight of all the people out there doing good who haven't been recognised yet. You feel like you've got to use the platform to highlight them too". Who inspires you? Who should be our next Australian of the Year? If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 awards at
The Advertiser
16-07-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
'The bulldozers keep coming': wildlife carer's race to save vanishing koalas
Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one. Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one. Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one. Wildlife rescuer CLAIRE SMITH, Queensland's Local Hero for 2025, is using her Australian of the Year Awards platform to rally community support for an endangered Aussie icon. As the founder of Wildlife Rescue Sunshine Coast, I've spent more than two decades rescuing and caring for wildlife. I've held kangaroo joeys in my arms as they took their last breath. I've carried injured gliders and broken koalas from the roadside, casualties of a world moving too fast and a system that refuses to slow down. And I've watched helplessly as forests are flattened to nothing but dust and fenceposts. I couldn't watch this story unfold any more without writing a new ending, so I co-founded the environmental organisation Barefoot on the Ground in 2024. Barefoot on the Ground is not just another wildlife charity. It's everything I know in my bones to be necessary for change: connection, protection and action. Our project is about more than just saving animals - it's about reconnecting people with the land we've forgotten how to listen to and creating a future where wildlife is not something we talk about in the past tense. Koalas, once abundant, are endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT and sliding toward extinction. That's hard fact. According to the Australian Koala Foundation, we may have fewer than 50,000 wild koalas left across our country. In some regions, numbers are so low that they're no longer viable populations. This is known as being "functionally extinct". And yet, the bulldozers keep coming. Queensland is one of the worst regions in the world for deforestation. Australia ranks on the Global Deforestation Frontline List with 23 other countries like the Congo and Brazil. Between 2016 and 2024, more than 3 million hectares of bushland was cleared in Queensland alone. That's about the size of Switzerland. Even with 2022's official classification of koalas as endangered, land-clearing continues and development rolls on, often with no environmental checks. Planning loopholes are enormous. I've seen koalas run over, attacked by dogs, orphaned and starving because they have nowhere to go. We don't just need to care about koalas - we need to fight for them. Barefoot on the Ground plans to create a wildlife education and conservation centre on 400 acres of pristine, remnant bushland in the Somerset region of Southeast Queensland. This habitat is classified as core koala territory by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation. This property is more than just beautiful bush. It has connectivity to D'Aguilar National Park, D'Aguilar State Forest and sits within reach of Lake Wivenhoe and Somerset Dam. The area is rich in eucalyptus forests and vine thickets - exactly what koalas and greater gliders need to thrive. And it's home to other threatened species like powerful owls and grey-headed flying foxes. Our goal is to create a living safe haven where orphaned koala joeys that have cleared hospital care can be gently reintroduced to the wild in a protected, monitored environment. Operating under a scientific research permit to track and support their progress, we will make sure every one of these precious creatures has the best chance of long-term survival. The centre will also be an education hub offering hands-on, residential learning for school children. We want kids to stand barefoot on the ground, to hear a koala grunt at dusk, to look up and see a glider leap through the trees and to have close, personal contact with animals. It's one thing to learn about extinction from a textbook, but it's another thing entirely to feel a wild animal's heartbeat against your hand. We also plan to offer low-impact, eco-tourism experiences and run a commercial native plant nursery to support the centre's overheads. To bring this vision to life, we are raising $4 million to purchase and protect this property. It's a big number. But the cost of doing nothing is greater. We're also seeking partnerships with universities, foundations and conservation agencies to build a network of support. Barefoot on the Ground is just a starting place for change. We need thousands of Australians awakened and activated around the country. We need donations, yes, but more than that, we need a movement. A national grassroots campaign to stop the destruction of koala habitat, protect what's left and rebuild what we can. Koalas don't need more petitions that go nowhere and fall on deaf ears. They need land. They need trees. They need space to live and raise their young. They just want to be left alone. But this isn't just about saving animals. It's about saving ourselves. Because when the forests fall silent, when the last koala disappears, we lose something ancient and essential. It's time to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave behind. Being named the Queensland's 2025 Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards was the greatest honour of my life. It has made a huge difference to Barefoot on the Ground. Within four weeks of receiving my award, I was sitting with the Premier in a private meeting discussing the environment. I have told my story on regional and national radio and TV and this has elevated the cause beyond my wildest expectations. READ THEIR STORIES I'm currently touring Queensland talking to communities about the truth about our vanishing koalas. The Australian of the Year Awards have given me this platform and I'm grateful for the nomination from one member of the public that changed everything. That's why I believe you should nominate someone for next year's awards. Not someone famous. Not someone chasing glory. But someone you see showing up, day after day, heart and soul, for something bigger than themselves. The quiet achievers. The fighters. The people who keep going, even when no one's watching. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! A nomination isn't just an award - it's a recognition that what they do matters. And when one of us is recognised, it lifts all of us. So, if you know someone who's making a difference, nominate them. You have until July 31 to make it happen. Shine a light on their work. Let them know the impact they're having is seen and valued. Because this country needs more heroes. And chances are, you already know one.
The Advertiser
12-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Holding out for a local hero: the search for Australia's next Vicki Jellie
Vicki Jellie was told a cancer centre for her community would never happen. But she never gave up hope. After losing husband Peter to cancer, Ms Jellie made it her mission to bring treatment services to her part of regional Australia. It was a dream of her husband's that she didn't discover until after his death in 2008. From there, Peter's Project was born - a group dedicated to fighting for better cancer services for Warrnambool on the south-west coast of Victoria. Ms Jellie lobbied governments and rallied the community to raise funds. The region raised $5 million in just nine months, while $25 million came from state and federal governments. The South West Regional Cancer Centre opened in July 2016, offering radiotherapy treatment for regional patients. Ms Jellie's campaigning led to a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. She was named Victoria's Local Hero before then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in Canberra that she was Australia's Local Hero of 2017. Ms Jellie said the years since the opening of the centre and the Australian of the Year honour had been a whirlwind. "The opening of the centre was something that had come together after years of work by so many people," she said. "It was just such a great outcome for the community." She had never expected to be recognised for her advocacy. "I didn't do it for that, that's not my style," she said. "I did it because it was in my heart and the community followed on board to work together to do that. To be told I'd received the award was, of course, an honour, but very humbling, and I continue to pursue the cause for the community because even though it was my name on the award, for me, our community's name was on it." Ms Jellie said the emotional weight of her husband's diagnosis was intensified by the fact they were required to travel three hours for treatment. "We had no family in Melbourne yet had to go down there for treatment for weeks on end, away from our jobs, our family and children," she said. "It was a huge upheaval." Ms Jellie says she knows Peter would be proud of the outcome their community achieved. "He was a very big community person," she said. "He was in the rural fire brigade and on school councils, we were also a community-minded family so it means a lot to be able to achieve it, even though a lot of times along the way, we never knew if we would. We knew it wouldn't bring him back but that it was going to benefit so many in our region for generations to come." Ms Jellie said the Local Hero award led other communities to seek advice. "I had contact from a lot of different groups around Australia, that weren't all necessarily cancer related, that felt they did not get the same services as our metropolitan counterparts and asked how they could move forward like we did," she said. "Really, my response to them was 'You have to work as a team and you have to not give up when you easily could', because we didn't give up, we kept going even though we were told we would never get such a centre." The South West Regional Cancer Centre provides oncology, haematology, radiation therapy and other support services. "There have been some really great outcomes," Ms Jellie said. "And I still get feedback from people just down at the supermarket or elsewhere, who have now been able to stay at home and have their treatment, and that is the biggest benefit." She hopes others in her community and elsewhere around Australia who are making a difference will be recognised for their dedication with a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. "You don't have to look far to see all the great clubs and groups we have here, and it's the quiet achievers in those groups that go around doing things, not for acknowledgment, but sometimes we need to really say to people that what they are doing is something extraordinary," she said. Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Vicki Jellie was told a cancer centre for her community would never happen. But she never gave up hope. After losing husband Peter to cancer, Ms Jellie made it her mission to bring treatment services to her part of regional Australia. It was a dream of her husband's that she didn't discover until after his death in 2008. From there, Peter's Project was born - a group dedicated to fighting for better cancer services for Warrnambool on the south-west coast of Victoria. Ms Jellie lobbied governments and rallied the community to raise funds. The region raised $5 million in just nine months, while $25 million came from state and federal governments. The South West Regional Cancer Centre opened in July 2016, offering radiotherapy treatment for regional patients. Ms Jellie's campaigning led to a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. She was named Victoria's Local Hero before then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in Canberra that she was Australia's Local Hero of 2017. Ms Jellie said the years since the opening of the centre and the Australian of the Year honour had been a whirlwind. "The opening of the centre was something that had come together after years of work by so many people," she said. "It was just such a great outcome for the community." She had never expected to be recognised for her advocacy. "I didn't do it for that, that's not my style," she said. "I did it because it was in my heart and the community followed on board to work together to do that. To be told I'd received the award was, of course, an honour, but very humbling, and I continue to pursue the cause for the community because even though it was my name on the award, for me, our community's name was on it." Ms Jellie said the emotional weight of her husband's diagnosis was intensified by the fact they were required to travel three hours for treatment. "We had no family in Melbourne yet had to go down there for treatment for weeks on end, away from our jobs, our family and children," she said. "It was a huge upheaval." Ms Jellie says she knows Peter would be proud of the outcome their community achieved. "He was a very big community person," she said. "He was in the rural fire brigade and on school councils, we were also a community-minded family so it means a lot to be able to achieve it, even though a lot of times along the way, we never knew if we would. We knew it wouldn't bring him back but that it was going to benefit so many in our region for generations to come." Ms Jellie said the Local Hero award led other communities to seek advice. "I had contact from a lot of different groups around Australia, that weren't all necessarily cancer related, that felt they did not get the same services as our metropolitan counterparts and asked how they could move forward like we did," she said. "Really, my response to them was 'You have to work as a team and you have to not give up when you easily could', because we didn't give up, we kept going even though we were told we would never get such a centre." The South West Regional Cancer Centre provides oncology, haematology, radiation therapy and other support services. "There have been some really great outcomes," Ms Jellie said. "And I still get feedback from people just down at the supermarket or elsewhere, who have now been able to stay at home and have their treatment, and that is the biggest benefit." She hopes others in her community and elsewhere around Australia who are making a difference will be recognised for their dedication with a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. "You don't have to look far to see all the great clubs and groups we have here, and it's the quiet achievers in those groups that go around doing things, not for acknowledgment, but sometimes we need to really say to people that what they are doing is something extraordinary," she said. Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Vicki Jellie was told a cancer centre for her community would never happen. But she never gave up hope. After losing husband Peter to cancer, Ms Jellie made it her mission to bring treatment services to her part of regional Australia. It was a dream of her husband's that she didn't discover until after his death in 2008. From there, Peter's Project was born - a group dedicated to fighting for better cancer services for Warrnambool on the south-west coast of Victoria. Ms Jellie lobbied governments and rallied the community to raise funds. The region raised $5 million in just nine months, while $25 million came from state and federal governments. The South West Regional Cancer Centre opened in July 2016, offering radiotherapy treatment for regional patients. Ms Jellie's campaigning led to a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. She was named Victoria's Local Hero before then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in Canberra that she was Australia's Local Hero of 2017. Ms Jellie said the years since the opening of the centre and the Australian of the Year honour had been a whirlwind. "The opening of the centre was something that had come together after years of work by so many people," she said. "It was just such a great outcome for the community." She had never expected to be recognised for her advocacy. "I didn't do it for that, that's not my style," she said. "I did it because it was in my heart and the community followed on board to work together to do that. To be told I'd received the award was, of course, an honour, but very humbling, and I continue to pursue the cause for the community because even though it was my name on the award, for me, our community's name was on it." Ms Jellie said the emotional weight of her husband's diagnosis was intensified by the fact they were required to travel three hours for treatment. "We had no family in Melbourne yet had to go down there for treatment for weeks on end, away from our jobs, our family and children," she said. "It was a huge upheaval." Ms Jellie says she knows Peter would be proud of the outcome their community achieved. "He was a very big community person," she said. "He was in the rural fire brigade and on school councils, we were also a community-minded family so it means a lot to be able to achieve it, even though a lot of times along the way, we never knew if we would. We knew it wouldn't bring him back but that it was going to benefit so many in our region for generations to come." Ms Jellie said the Local Hero award led other communities to seek advice. "I had contact from a lot of different groups around Australia, that weren't all necessarily cancer related, that felt they did not get the same services as our metropolitan counterparts and asked how they could move forward like we did," she said. "Really, my response to them was 'You have to work as a team and you have to not give up when you easily could', because we didn't give up, we kept going even though we were told we would never get such a centre." The South West Regional Cancer Centre provides oncology, haematology, radiation therapy and other support services. "There have been some really great outcomes," Ms Jellie said. "And I still get feedback from people just down at the supermarket or elsewhere, who have now been able to stay at home and have their treatment, and that is the biggest benefit." She hopes others in her community and elsewhere around Australia who are making a difference will be recognised for their dedication with a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. "You don't have to look far to see all the great clubs and groups we have here, and it's the quiet achievers in those groups that go around doing things, not for acknowledgment, but sometimes we need to really say to people that what they are doing is something extraordinary," she said. Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Vicki Jellie was told a cancer centre for her community would never happen. But she never gave up hope. After losing husband Peter to cancer, Ms Jellie made it her mission to bring treatment services to her part of regional Australia. It was a dream of her husband's that she didn't discover until after his death in 2008. From there, Peter's Project was born - a group dedicated to fighting for better cancer services for Warrnambool on the south-west coast of Victoria. Ms Jellie lobbied governments and rallied the community to raise funds. The region raised $5 million in just nine months, while $25 million came from state and federal governments. The South West Regional Cancer Centre opened in July 2016, offering radiotherapy treatment for regional patients. Ms Jellie's campaigning led to a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. She was named Victoria's Local Hero before then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced in Canberra that she was Australia's Local Hero of 2017. Ms Jellie said the years since the opening of the centre and the Australian of the Year honour had been a whirlwind. "The opening of the centre was something that had come together after years of work by so many people," she said. "It was just such a great outcome for the community." She had never expected to be recognised for her advocacy. "I didn't do it for that, that's not my style," she said. "I did it because it was in my heart and the community followed on board to work together to do that. To be told I'd received the award was, of course, an honour, but very humbling, and I continue to pursue the cause for the community because even though it was my name on the award, for me, our community's name was on it." Ms Jellie said the emotional weight of her husband's diagnosis was intensified by the fact they were required to travel three hours for treatment. "We had no family in Melbourne yet had to go down there for treatment for weeks on end, away from our jobs, our family and children," she said. "It was a huge upheaval." Ms Jellie says she knows Peter would be proud of the outcome their community achieved. "He was a very big community person," she said. "He was in the rural fire brigade and on school councils, we were also a community-minded family so it means a lot to be able to achieve it, even though a lot of times along the way, we never knew if we would. We knew it wouldn't bring him back but that it was going to benefit so many in our region for generations to come." Ms Jellie said the Local Hero award led other communities to seek advice. "I had contact from a lot of different groups around Australia, that weren't all necessarily cancer related, that felt they did not get the same services as our metropolitan counterparts and asked how they could move forward like we did," she said. "Really, my response to them was 'You have to work as a team and you have to not give up when you easily could', because we didn't give up, we kept going even though we were told we would never get such a centre." The South West Regional Cancer Centre provides oncology, haematology, radiation therapy and other support services. "There have been some really great outcomes," Ms Jellie said. "And I still get feedback from people just down at the supermarket or elsewhere, who have now been able to stay at home and have their treatment, and that is the biggest benefit." She hopes others in her community and elsewhere around Australia who are making a difference will be recognised for their dedication with a nomination in the Australian of the Year Awards. "You don't have to look far to see all the great clubs and groups we have here, and it's the quiet achievers in those groups that go around doing things, not for acknowledgment, but sometimes we need to really say to people that what they are doing is something extraordinary," she said. Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31.
The Advertiser
03-07-2025
- Science
- The Advertiser
Why this neuroscientist says lauding unsung Aussie achievers is a no-brainer
Neuroscientist Lila Landowski is considered a leading voice in science, technology, engineering and mathematics advocacy. A senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Tasmania and vice president of Science and Technology Australia, she's previously been declared a "superstar of STEM" and anointed a "science superhero" by Australia's Chief Scientist. Which perhaps explains her other super power: spotting outstanding Australians. Two people nominated by Dr Landowski for the Australian of the Year Awards have gone on to receive the prestigious honour: scientist Dr Katrina Wruck, who is the 2025 Young Australian of the Year; and performer Naarah, Tasmania's Young Australian of the Year in 2024. Dr Landowski has been nominating people for the Australian of the Year Awards for a decade. She says the awards are the ideal platform for shining a spotlight on the country's unsung achievers. A Tasmanian nominee for the awards in 2015, Dr Landowski said she was motivated to nominate Naarah because she believed the First Nations actor and musician had "continuously pushed boundaries, challenged norms and created work that is not only artistically captivating but also socially relevant". "It is a very rare thing to meet someone and have an instant sense of knowing that one day they will change the world," she said. "Since meeting her, I have only grown more certain of my initial impression. Her performances and advocacy has moved audiences and sparked important conversations about Indigenous culture, identity, and representation." Dr Landowski nominated Indigenous Queensland scientist Dr Wruck for her work in remote Aboriginal communities and leadership in the field of industrial chemistry and materials for environmental remediation. "She's an awesome role model," she said of Dr Wruck, who is a member of Science and Technology Australia's diversity equity and inclusion committee. "She was once paid to give a talk - a rarity in science - and instead of spending the money on herself, she used it to travel on Country and teach science to kids in a remote Indigenous community. In a profession where the hours are long, the pay is modest and personal sacrifices are common ... choosing to spend a rare financial win to give back like that is an extraordinary act of generosity." Dr Landowski said the Australian of the Year Awards were "a platform for extraordinary individuals to amplify their voices, share their stories and create broader social impact". "The recognition validates their efforts and helps them reach wider audiences with their important work," she said. "If we pay attention and lift each other up, we'll diversify who gets seen and who gets celebrated. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "As someone from a marginalised background and disadvantaged upbringing, my life could have turned out very differently. Having people who believed in me and think that I was doing things that were important, and acknowledging me for that, I can't explain how important that was to me as a person." Dr Landowski said the awards showcased a diversity of voices: "These are people who have overcome hardship, people with this insatiable drive to succeed, or people who have done something that is really unusual. They've tried to make their lives into something bigger than it could be". The impact of the recognition went far beyond the recipient. "It will inspire others through elevating diverse representations of leadership and authenticity," she said. "Just like the people who nominated me in the past changed my life, we have the power to do the same for others." Dr Landowski: "I nominate people for awards because it fills me with joy and a deep sense of gratitude. It costs nothing but time, and it can change a life. Every time I help someone else, I'm reminded of the people who once did that for me. "Everyone I have nominated has something about them that has struck me, which forms the basis of their story in the application. A spark. A drive. A quirky passion project that turned into something bigger. A sacrifice. Overcoming adversity. That's the foundation of their story. What is it about the nominee that makes their journey different?" Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Neuroscientist Lila Landowski is considered a leading voice in science, technology, engineering and mathematics advocacy. A senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Tasmania and vice president of Science and Technology Australia, she's previously been declared a "superstar of STEM" and anointed a "science superhero" by Australia's Chief Scientist. Which perhaps explains her other super power: spotting outstanding Australians. Two people nominated by Dr Landowski for the Australian of the Year Awards have gone on to receive the prestigious honour: scientist Dr Katrina Wruck, who is the 2025 Young Australian of the Year; and performer Naarah, Tasmania's Young Australian of the Year in 2024. Dr Landowski has been nominating people for the Australian of the Year Awards for a decade. She says the awards are the ideal platform for shining a spotlight on the country's unsung achievers. A Tasmanian nominee for the awards in 2015, Dr Landowski said she was motivated to nominate Naarah because she believed the First Nations actor and musician had "continuously pushed boundaries, challenged norms and created work that is not only artistically captivating but also socially relevant". "It is a very rare thing to meet someone and have an instant sense of knowing that one day they will change the world," she said. "Since meeting her, I have only grown more certain of my initial impression. Her performances and advocacy has moved audiences and sparked important conversations about Indigenous culture, identity, and representation." Dr Landowski nominated Indigenous Queensland scientist Dr Wruck for her work in remote Aboriginal communities and leadership in the field of industrial chemistry and materials for environmental remediation. "She's an awesome role model," she said of Dr Wruck, who is a member of Science and Technology Australia's diversity equity and inclusion committee. "She was once paid to give a talk - a rarity in science - and instead of spending the money on herself, she used it to travel on Country and teach science to kids in a remote Indigenous community. In a profession where the hours are long, the pay is modest and personal sacrifices are common ... choosing to spend a rare financial win to give back like that is an extraordinary act of generosity." Dr Landowski said the Australian of the Year Awards were "a platform for extraordinary individuals to amplify their voices, share their stories and create broader social impact". "The recognition validates their efforts and helps them reach wider audiences with their important work," she said. "If we pay attention and lift each other up, we'll diversify who gets seen and who gets celebrated. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "As someone from a marginalised background and disadvantaged upbringing, my life could have turned out very differently. Having people who believed in me and think that I was doing things that were important, and acknowledging me for that, I can't explain how important that was to me as a person." Dr Landowski said the awards showcased a diversity of voices: "These are people who have overcome hardship, people with this insatiable drive to succeed, or people who have done something that is really unusual. They've tried to make their lives into something bigger than it could be". The impact of the recognition went far beyond the recipient. "It will inspire others through elevating diverse representations of leadership and authenticity," she said. "Just like the people who nominated me in the past changed my life, we have the power to do the same for others." Dr Landowski: "I nominate people for awards because it fills me with joy and a deep sense of gratitude. It costs nothing but time, and it can change a life. Every time I help someone else, I'm reminded of the people who once did that for me. "Everyone I have nominated has something about them that has struck me, which forms the basis of their story in the application. A spark. A drive. A quirky passion project that turned into something bigger. A sacrifice. Overcoming adversity. That's the foundation of their story. What is it about the nominee that makes their journey different?" Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Neuroscientist Lila Landowski is considered a leading voice in science, technology, engineering and mathematics advocacy. A senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Tasmania and vice president of Science and Technology Australia, she's previously been declared a "superstar of STEM" and anointed a "science superhero" by Australia's Chief Scientist. Which perhaps explains her other super power: spotting outstanding Australians. Two people nominated by Dr Landowski for the Australian of the Year Awards have gone on to receive the prestigious honour: scientist Dr Katrina Wruck, who is the 2025 Young Australian of the Year; and performer Naarah, Tasmania's Young Australian of the Year in 2024. Dr Landowski has been nominating people for the Australian of the Year Awards for a decade. She says the awards are the ideal platform for shining a spotlight on the country's unsung achievers. A Tasmanian nominee for the awards in 2015, Dr Landowski said she was motivated to nominate Naarah because she believed the First Nations actor and musician had "continuously pushed boundaries, challenged norms and created work that is not only artistically captivating but also socially relevant". "It is a very rare thing to meet someone and have an instant sense of knowing that one day they will change the world," she said. "Since meeting her, I have only grown more certain of my initial impression. Her performances and advocacy has moved audiences and sparked important conversations about Indigenous culture, identity, and representation." Dr Landowski nominated Indigenous Queensland scientist Dr Wruck for her work in remote Aboriginal communities and leadership in the field of industrial chemistry and materials for environmental remediation. "She's an awesome role model," she said of Dr Wruck, who is a member of Science and Technology Australia's diversity equity and inclusion committee. "She was once paid to give a talk - a rarity in science - and instead of spending the money on herself, she used it to travel on Country and teach science to kids in a remote Indigenous community. In a profession where the hours are long, the pay is modest and personal sacrifices are common ... choosing to spend a rare financial win to give back like that is an extraordinary act of generosity." Dr Landowski said the Australian of the Year Awards were "a platform for extraordinary individuals to amplify their voices, share their stories and create broader social impact". "The recognition validates their efforts and helps them reach wider audiences with their important work," she said. "If we pay attention and lift each other up, we'll diversify who gets seen and who gets celebrated. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "As someone from a marginalised background and disadvantaged upbringing, my life could have turned out very differently. Having people who believed in me and think that I was doing things that were important, and acknowledging me for that, I can't explain how important that was to me as a person." Dr Landowski said the awards showcased a diversity of voices: "These are people who have overcome hardship, people with this insatiable drive to succeed, or people who have done something that is really unusual. They've tried to make their lives into something bigger than it could be". The impact of the recognition went far beyond the recipient. "It will inspire others through elevating diverse representations of leadership and authenticity," she said. "Just like the people who nominated me in the past changed my life, we have the power to do the same for others." Dr Landowski: "I nominate people for awards because it fills me with joy and a deep sense of gratitude. It costs nothing but time, and it can change a life. Every time I help someone else, I'm reminded of the people who once did that for me. "Everyone I have nominated has something about them that has struck me, which forms the basis of their story in the application. A spark. A drive. A quirky passion project that turned into something bigger. A sacrifice. Overcoming adversity. That's the foundation of their story. What is it about the nominee that makes their journey different?" Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Neuroscientist Lila Landowski is considered a leading voice in science, technology, engineering and mathematics advocacy. A senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Tasmania and vice president of Science and Technology Australia, she's previously been declared a "superstar of STEM" and anointed a "science superhero" by Australia's Chief Scientist. Which perhaps explains her other super power: spotting outstanding Australians. Two people nominated by Dr Landowski for the Australian of the Year Awards have gone on to receive the prestigious honour: scientist Dr Katrina Wruck, who is the 2025 Young Australian of the Year; and performer Naarah, Tasmania's Young Australian of the Year in 2024. Dr Landowski has been nominating people for the Australian of the Year Awards for a decade. She says the awards are the ideal platform for shining a spotlight on the country's unsung achievers. A Tasmanian nominee for the awards in 2015, Dr Landowski said she was motivated to nominate Naarah because she believed the First Nations actor and musician had "continuously pushed boundaries, challenged norms and created work that is not only artistically captivating but also socially relevant". "It is a very rare thing to meet someone and have an instant sense of knowing that one day they will change the world," she said. "Since meeting her, I have only grown more certain of my initial impression. Her performances and advocacy has moved audiences and sparked important conversations about Indigenous culture, identity, and representation." Dr Landowski nominated Indigenous Queensland scientist Dr Wruck for her work in remote Aboriginal communities and leadership in the field of industrial chemistry and materials for environmental remediation. "She's an awesome role model," she said of Dr Wruck, who is a member of Science and Technology Australia's diversity equity and inclusion committee. "She was once paid to give a talk - a rarity in science - and instead of spending the money on herself, she used it to travel on Country and teach science to kids in a remote Indigenous community. In a profession where the hours are long, the pay is modest and personal sacrifices are common ... choosing to spend a rare financial win to give back like that is an extraordinary act of generosity." Dr Landowski said the Australian of the Year Awards were "a platform for extraordinary individuals to amplify their voices, share their stories and create broader social impact". "The recognition validates their efforts and helps them reach wider audiences with their important work," she said. "If we pay attention and lift each other up, we'll diversify who gets seen and who gets celebrated. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "As someone from a marginalised background and disadvantaged upbringing, my life could have turned out very differently. Having people who believed in me and think that I was doing things that were important, and acknowledging me for that, I can't explain how important that was to me as a person." Dr Landowski said the awards showcased a diversity of voices: "These are people who have overcome hardship, people with this insatiable drive to succeed, or people who have done something that is really unusual. They've tried to make their lives into something bigger than it could be". The impact of the recognition went far beyond the recipient. "It will inspire others through elevating diverse representations of leadership and authenticity," she said. "Just like the people who nominated me in the past changed my life, we have the power to do the same for others." Dr Landowski: "I nominate people for awards because it fills me with joy and a deep sense of gratitude. It costs nothing but time, and it can change a life. Every time I help someone else, I'm reminded of the people who once did that for me. "Everyone I have nominated has something about them that has struck me, which forms the basis of their story in the application. A spark. A drive. A quirky passion project that turned into something bigger. A sacrifice. Overcoming adversity. That's the foundation of their story. What is it about the nominee that makes their journey different?" Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31.
The Advertiser
30-06-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Why we need more 'champion Australians' like BackTrack's Bernie Shakeshaft
Twenty years after it was established, BackTrack has become one of the most successful and sustainable youth development programs in the country. In 2020, its creator Bernie Shakeshaft was named Australia's Local Hero as part of the Australian of the Year Awards, and his phone has been ringing off the hook for five years since. "I think it has given BackTrack a much broader footprint," Mr Shakeshaft says of the national recognition. "They're pretty big awards, they've given us a bit of national exposure." "[The phone calls] weren't just from different towns wanting to get something started; It started tweaking the interest of a lot of private wealth or philanthropists, they were looking for organisations they could then back and support themselves." Based in Armidale in NSW, BackTrack began in 2005 as a job-ready program for high school kids, but Mr Shakeshaft quickly recognised there was no quick fix for kids who might have grown up with trauma or around crime. He said many kids as young as 11 and 12 might have already been having criminal issues or schooling issues. He and other volunteers saw how many weren't safe at home or were already sleeping rough. "We started with one little thing, and that was to get those kids at that time work-ready, so we're trying to keep them off the streets at night and trying to keep them out of stolen cars and work out somewhere safe for them to stay," Mr Shakeshaft said. "And that's where the dogs came into it ... we had tried 50 different things and there were wins, but we hadn't quite cracked it." He had a litter of working dog puppies, brought them to work one day and said it was a "light bulb" moment when he let them loose on the lawn with the kids. "That was the first time I saw these wild kids sitting with these pups, and they were so soft and gentle." It was 2006 when Mr Shakeshaft got a call from a mate asking if he knew about dog high jumping - he didn't - but quickly learned what it was about and decided to give it a crack. "We grabbed half a dozen dogs, went down there and we won the Armidale Show just with a few mates, then the next week it was the Guyra Show, so we took a few of the kids and they won that, then there was the Walcha Show a few weeks later." Then came the BackTrack Shed, where they began training programs like welding and metalworking, which included maths and literacy for kids who weren't going to school. Research done by the University of New England showed youth crime plummeted by almost 50 per cent. Around 2015, they rolled out a pilot program to house and feed nine participants. Suddenly, almost 90 per cent of participants were able to find work. But many struggled with long-term employment, so seven years ago, BackTrack developed its own commercial business to provide work opportunities. "We'll have our 21st birthday next year, and we're doing a 100-year vision; we want this to be here well past my use-by-date." Mr Shakeshaft is encouraging others to nominate someone for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. He said people putting in hard work in their community normally weren't loud about what they're doing, but nomination alone can give them the drive to keep going. "You don't go around blowing your own trumpet, you know," he said. "It is a pretty important cause. If you look down the history of Australians of the Year or people winning those awards, it's not people out there broadcasting themselves. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "People know about the special stuff that unique individuals are doing, and you see it in your own towns. [Nominating someone] is a marvellous gesture. Even if they don't win the award, to be nominated is pretty cool, and I think it helps people; it motivates them. "I've met some bloody champion Australians, and getting to meet other down-to-earth, really cool people that are doing something a bit special, it is a part of the journey that has touched me the most. It is eye-opening to see the special things people are doing right across the country. "That's probably the most special part of the awards, I reckon." Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Twenty years after it was established, BackTrack has become one of the most successful and sustainable youth development programs in the country. In 2020, its creator Bernie Shakeshaft was named Australia's Local Hero as part of the Australian of the Year Awards, and his phone has been ringing off the hook for five years since. "I think it has given BackTrack a much broader footprint," Mr Shakeshaft says of the national recognition. "They're pretty big awards, they've given us a bit of national exposure." "[The phone calls] weren't just from different towns wanting to get something started; It started tweaking the interest of a lot of private wealth or philanthropists, they were looking for organisations they could then back and support themselves." Based in Armidale in NSW, BackTrack began in 2005 as a job-ready program for high school kids, but Mr Shakeshaft quickly recognised there was no quick fix for kids who might have grown up with trauma or around crime. He said many kids as young as 11 and 12 might have already been having criminal issues or schooling issues. He and other volunteers saw how many weren't safe at home or were already sleeping rough. "We started with one little thing, and that was to get those kids at that time work-ready, so we're trying to keep them off the streets at night and trying to keep them out of stolen cars and work out somewhere safe for them to stay," Mr Shakeshaft said. "And that's where the dogs came into it ... we had tried 50 different things and there were wins, but we hadn't quite cracked it." He had a litter of working dog puppies, brought them to work one day and said it was a "light bulb" moment when he let them loose on the lawn with the kids. "That was the first time I saw these wild kids sitting with these pups, and they were so soft and gentle." It was 2006 when Mr Shakeshaft got a call from a mate asking if he knew about dog high jumping - he didn't - but quickly learned what it was about and decided to give it a crack. "We grabbed half a dozen dogs, went down there and we won the Armidale Show just with a few mates, then the next week it was the Guyra Show, so we took a few of the kids and they won that, then there was the Walcha Show a few weeks later." Then came the BackTrack Shed, where they began training programs like welding and metalworking, which included maths and literacy for kids who weren't going to school. Research done by the University of New England showed youth crime plummeted by almost 50 per cent. Around 2015, they rolled out a pilot program to house and feed nine participants. Suddenly, almost 90 per cent of participants were able to find work. But many struggled with long-term employment, so seven years ago, BackTrack developed its own commercial business to provide work opportunities. "We'll have our 21st birthday next year, and we're doing a 100-year vision; we want this to be here well past my use-by-date." Mr Shakeshaft is encouraging others to nominate someone for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. He said people putting in hard work in their community normally weren't loud about what they're doing, but nomination alone can give them the drive to keep going. "You don't go around blowing your own trumpet, you know," he said. "It is a pretty important cause. If you look down the history of Australians of the Year or people winning those awards, it's not people out there broadcasting themselves. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "People know about the special stuff that unique individuals are doing, and you see it in your own towns. [Nominating someone] is a marvellous gesture. Even if they don't win the award, to be nominated is pretty cool, and I think it helps people; it motivates them. "I've met some bloody champion Australians, and getting to meet other down-to-earth, really cool people that are doing something a bit special, it is a part of the journey that has touched me the most. It is eye-opening to see the special things people are doing right across the country. "That's probably the most special part of the awards, I reckon." Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Twenty years after it was established, BackTrack has become one of the most successful and sustainable youth development programs in the country. In 2020, its creator Bernie Shakeshaft was named Australia's Local Hero as part of the Australian of the Year Awards, and his phone has been ringing off the hook for five years since. "I think it has given BackTrack a much broader footprint," Mr Shakeshaft says of the national recognition. "They're pretty big awards, they've given us a bit of national exposure." "[The phone calls] weren't just from different towns wanting to get something started; It started tweaking the interest of a lot of private wealth or philanthropists, they were looking for organisations they could then back and support themselves." Based in Armidale in NSW, BackTrack began in 2005 as a job-ready program for high school kids, but Mr Shakeshaft quickly recognised there was no quick fix for kids who might have grown up with trauma or around crime. He said many kids as young as 11 and 12 might have already been having criminal issues or schooling issues. He and other volunteers saw how many weren't safe at home or were already sleeping rough. "We started with one little thing, and that was to get those kids at that time work-ready, so we're trying to keep them off the streets at night and trying to keep them out of stolen cars and work out somewhere safe for them to stay," Mr Shakeshaft said. "And that's where the dogs came into it ... we had tried 50 different things and there were wins, but we hadn't quite cracked it." He had a litter of working dog puppies, brought them to work one day and said it was a "light bulb" moment when he let them loose on the lawn with the kids. "That was the first time I saw these wild kids sitting with these pups, and they were so soft and gentle." It was 2006 when Mr Shakeshaft got a call from a mate asking if he knew about dog high jumping - he didn't - but quickly learned what it was about and decided to give it a crack. "We grabbed half a dozen dogs, went down there and we won the Armidale Show just with a few mates, then the next week it was the Guyra Show, so we took a few of the kids and they won that, then there was the Walcha Show a few weeks later." Then came the BackTrack Shed, where they began training programs like welding and metalworking, which included maths and literacy for kids who weren't going to school. Research done by the University of New England showed youth crime plummeted by almost 50 per cent. Around 2015, they rolled out a pilot program to house and feed nine participants. Suddenly, almost 90 per cent of participants were able to find work. But many struggled with long-term employment, so seven years ago, BackTrack developed its own commercial business to provide work opportunities. "We'll have our 21st birthday next year, and we're doing a 100-year vision; we want this to be here well past my use-by-date." Mr Shakeshaft is encouraging others to nominate someone for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. He said people putting in hard work in their community normally weren't loud about what they're doing, but nomination alone can give them the drive to keep going. "You don't go around blowing your own trumpet, you know," he said. "It is a pretty important cause. If you look down the history of Australians of the Year or people winning those awards, it's not people out there broadcasting themselves. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "People know about the special stuff that unique individuals are doing, and you see it in your own towns. [Nominating someone] is a marvellous gesture. Even if they don't win the award, to be nominated is pretty cool, and I think it helps people; it motivates them. "I've met some bloody champion Australians, and getting to meet other down-to-earth, really cool people that are doing something a bit special, it is a part of the journey that has touched me the most. It is eye-opening to see the special things people are doing right across the country. "That's probably the most special part of the awards, I reckon." Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31. Twenty years after it was established, BackTrack has become one of the most successful and sustainable youth development programs in the country. In 2020, its creator Bernie Shakeshaft was named Australia's Local Hero as part of the Australian of the Year Awards, and his phone has been ringing off the hook for five years since. "I think it has given BackTrack a much broader footprint," Mr Shakeshaft says of the national recognition. "They're pretty big awards, they've given us a bit of national exposure." "[The phone calls] weren't just from different towns wanting to get something started; It started tweaking the interest of a lot of private wealth or philanthropists, they were looking for organisations they could then back and support themselves." Based in Armidale in NSW, BackTrack began in 2005 as a job-ready program for high school kids, but Mr Shakeshaft quickly recognised there was no quick fix for kids who might have grown up with trauma or around crime. He said many kids as young as 11 and 12 might have already been having criminal issues or schooling issues. He and other volunteers saw how many weren't safe at home or were already sleeping rough. "We started with one little thing, and that was to get those kids at that time work-ready, so we're trying to keep them off the streets at night and trying to keep them out of stolen cars and work out somewhere safe for them to stay," Mr Shakeshaft said. "And that's where the dogs came into it ... we had tried 50 different things and there were wins, but we hadn't quite cracked it." He had a litter of working dog puppies, brought them to work one day and said it was a "light bulb" moment when he let them loose on the lawn with the kids. "That was the first time I saw these wild kids sitting with these pups, and they were so soft and gentle." It was 2006 when Mr Shakeshaft got a call from a mate asking if he knew about dog high jumping - he didn't - but quickly learned what it was about and decided to give it a crack. "We grabbed half a dozen dogs, went down there and we won the Armidale Show just with a few mates, then the next week it was the Guyra Show, so we took a few of the kids and they won that, then there was the Walcha Show a few weeks later." Then came the BackTrack Shed, where they began training programs like welding and metalworking, which included maths and literacy for kids who weren't going to school. Research done by the University of New England showed youth crime plummeted by almost 50 per cent. Around 2015, they rolled out a pilot program to house and feed nine participants. Suddenly, almost 90 per cent of participants were able to find work. But many struggled with long-term employment, so seven years ago, BackTrack developed its own commercial business to provide work opportunities. "We'll have our 21st birthday next year, and we're doing a 100-year vision; we want this to be here well past my use-by-date." Mr Shakeshaft is encouraging others to nominate someone for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards. He said people putting in hard work in their community normally weren't loud about what they're doing, but nomination alone can give them the drive to keep going. "You don't go around blowing your own trumpet, you know," he said. "It is a pretty important cause. If you look down the history of Australians of the Year or people winning those awards, it's not people out there broadcasting themselves. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW! "People know about the special stuff that unique individuals are doing, and you see it in your own towns. [Nominating someone] is a marvellous gesture. Even if they don't win the award, to be nominated is pretty cool, and I think it helps people; it motivates them. "I've met some bloody champion Australians, and getting to meet other down-to-earth, really cool people that are doing something a bit special, it is a part of the journey that has touched me the most. It is eye-opening to see the special things people are doing right across the country. "That's probably the most special part of the awards, I reckon." Help find the 2025 Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero by nominating someone you admire. The only way someone can be considered for the annual awards, which were first presented in 1960, is if a member of the public nominates them. Nominate online at Nominations close at midnight on July 31.
