Locals honoured on Australia Day

Perri King and Paul McMaster.

VOLUNTEER firefighter Paul McMaster is the Derwent Valley municipality's Citizen of the Year for 2018 and footballer Perri King is the Young Citizen of the Year.

Mayor Martyn Evans said Mr McMaster was well known as a member of the Magra Fire Brigade and on of the organisers of its annual quiz night which is regarded as one of the biggest and most successful around. Mr McMaster also published a book on the history of local pubs and hotels last year.

New Norfolk Under 17 women's football team.
Click image to enlarge.

The Young Citizen award caps off a spectacular 12 months for Miss King, who won the Southern Tasmanian Junior Football Association's Under 17 women's best and fairest award for 2017 as well as the New Norfolk Junior Football Club's Under 17 best and fairest award for the 2017.

Miss King was also the originator of New Norfolk's Under 17 women's football team, which was awarded the Sports Group of the Year Award. The award was accepted by team-mate Maddie Shaw, who was last year's Derwent Valley Young Sportsperson of the Year.

Australia Day Ambassador Ian Allison with
Carol and Peter Nichols of the New Norfolk
 Rowing Club. Click image to enlarge.

Promising young oarsman Matt Byrne was awarded his fourth Australia Day honour since 2011, being named the Derwent Valley's Sportsperson of the Year. Unable to attend the presentation due to his rowing commitments at Lake Barrington, Byrne's award was accepted on his behalf by New Norfolk Rowing Club president Peter Nichols.

Byrne received the Young Sportsperson of the Year Award in 2011 in recognition of his success in soccer and futsal. In 2016 and 2017 he shared the Sports Team of the Year award with his rowing mate Nathanial Graham. Byrne has been named as a 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay bearer.

The Derwent Valley Suicide Awareness Group was named the municipality's Community Group of the Year. Established in 2016, the group gives early and ongoing support for families, friends and others affected by the loss of someone to suicide. The award was accepted on behalf of the group by the Reverend Celia Hooker.

Matt Hill, Sonja Gregory and Celia Hooker with the Community
Event of the Year award. Click image to enlarge.