Community
16 January, 2026
Wollondilly announces Australia Day finalists
Wollondilly Shire Council has named an impressive list of finalists for this year’s Australia Day honours.
Wollondilly Shire Council has named an impressive list of finalists for this year’s Australia Day honours.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Picton Botanic Gardens and Hume Oval Precinct on January 26.
The event will kick off at 8am with the official ceremony commencing at 9am.
The finalists for Citizen of the Year are Susan Peacock, Colleen Haynes, Robert Fairley, Heather Davies, Carole-Anne Priest, Dave Clayton, Nicole Hanger and Lisa Vidler.
Some of those people have also been named as finalists in other categories.
Finalists for the Young Citizen of the Year award are Sharla-May Nayagodamu and Troy Sitkowski.
Sharla-May and Troy have also been named as finalists in other categories.
Achiever of the Year finalists are Susan Peacock, Jacqueline Wilson, Heather Davies, Elise Pardy, Carole-Anne Priest and Linda McCarthy.
Finalists for the Local Hero award are Jacqueline Wilson, Merv Laurence, Dave Clayton, Linda McCarthy, Donna Warren, Chris Seccull, Patrick Nellestein, Colin McKenzie and Stephanie and Sean Powell.
The award for Local Hero Community Group will also be hotly contested with the finalists including the Picton District Branch of the Country Women’s Association, The Robin Davies Wollondilly Community Nursery, Warradale Men’s Shed and Think of the Five Arrive Alive.
There are five finalists for Sportsperson of the Year: Sharla-May Nayagodmu, Caitlyn Halse, Nicole Hanger, Troy Sitkowski and Lisa Vidler.
Marjo Hallowell is the sole finalist for the Environmental Citizen of the Year award while The Robin Davies Wollondilly Community Nursery and Stephanie and Sean Powell have been named as the two finalists for Environmental Citizens of the Year award.
Elise Pardy has been named as the sole finalist for this year’s Disability Inclusion award.
The formal ceremony will be held on the Don Jones Stage at Picton Botanic Gardens.
Events on Hume Oval will include market stalls, food trucks, live music, free amusement rides, kids’ face painting and airbrush tattoos, a live reptile show and a giant water slide.
Read More: Wollondilly, Picton