Collie rewards hard-working community members

Collie rewarded some of its best individuals and groups on Saturday as part of its Australia Day ceremony.

Ian Bushell was recognised as the town’s Citizen of the Year.

During a 30-year career at Worsley he introduced a Ruggies Recycling program that had donated more than $500,000 to Princess Margaret Hospital and the Royal Flying Doctor Service by the time he retired in 2012.

He is the deputy chairman of the Collie Mining Heritage Group and previously held the same role with the Collie River Valley Marketing Group.

He is also the the coordinator of the town’s Christmas pageant and an active member of the Lions Club.

Hayden Barber, 17, was named the town’s Young Citizen on the Year for the volunteer work he does at the Coalfields Museum

Hayden initially arrived at the museum as part of an induction program and has used his wealth of knowledge to help identify, label and display a bottle collection now being exhibited.

His knowledge of working with and collecting artefacts saw him selected to join a group of valuers from the Perth and South West, presented at Festiv Arty’s Antiques Roadshow event in 2018.

The Community group of the Year award was presented to the Collie PCYC for its continued work providing structured and tailored programs for youth in Collie.

Friends of the Collie River, a subcommittee of the Collie Rotary Club, was awarded the Collie Environmental Award for its work helping revegetate sections of the river.