And the nominees for Singleton’s 2025 Australia Day awards are…
Published on 17 January 2025
Congratulations to our Australia Day 2025 nominees for Citizen of the Year and Young Achiever of the Year!
Winners of these awards will be announced at our official Australia Day proceedings at Singleton Civic Centre on Sunday 26 January.
Everyone is welcome to head along to the Civic Centre from 8am to enjoy a traditional barbecue breakfast, followed by a smoking ceremony by Wonnarua elder and former Citizen of the Year Warren Taggart at 8.30am.
The official proceedings will begin at 9.30am and will include an address by Australia Day Guest Lieutenant Colonel Jarrod Brook, Commanding Officer School of Infantry, a citizenship ceremony where 11 new Australian citizens will be welcomed and the announcement of our award winners.
Can’t make the ceremony in person? Watch online! The ceremony will be livestreamed on Council’s Facebook page and website.
The Australia Day celebrations will begin with Twilight, our annual Australia Day Eve sunset community event, in Townhead Park on Saturday 25 January.
There will be free family fun and entertainment including an outdoor cinema, supported by the NSW Government, free snow cones and popcorn, silent disco, face painting, slip and slide, food trucks, live music and more on offer from 6 - 9.30pm.
Singleton Citizen of the Year 2025 nominees
Sharon Power
Sharon arrived in Singleton in 1989 and quickly became an integral part of the Singleton Netball Association through her three daughters. She has now dedicated more than 20 years in a commitment only temporarily interrupted by her dedication as a foster carer. She’s currently the club’s vice president, badged umpire and representative coach and is a big part of the growing popularity of netball in Singleton.
Nigel Korff
Nigel Korff is a paramedic and volunteer with the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) since 1985. His service includes 19 years with the NSW RFS Lower Hunter Aviation brigade and a member of the NSW RFS Remote Area Fire Team (RAFT) and Rapid Aerial Response Team (RART). He was selected for the inaugural NSW RFS Aviation Rescue Crew in 2014 and is now an instructor and assessor for NSW RFS DTW (Down the Wire) operations. In 2022, Nigel was part of the helicopter rescue response for the Lismore floods on the north coast of NSW. As the Rescue Crewman on NSW RFS Helitak 201 he was involved in 17 winch rescues and part of Australia's largest number of successive rescues performed by helicopters on any single day. The crew of Helitak 201 was awarded the Barry Marsden Memorial Award for Outstanding contribution to the preservation of life during a natural disaster by the Honourable Company of Air Pilots United Kingdom, presented in London.
Graham McBride
Graham experienced the incomprehensible loss of his wife and daughter in the Hunter Valley bus tragedy as well as his own injuries to continue his commitment to local AFL as the manager of the Singleton Roosterettes women's team. He’s continued the legacy of his late wife Nadene at the past two AFL Masters tournaments held in Queensland and Western Australia as the NSW women's team manager, and also presented the memorial medal named after Nadene. He stepped up to the role of AFL Hunter Central Coast women's team manager in 2023 and 2024 and represented Nadene at the AFLW grand final held in Melbourne when she was posthumously honoured as the 2023 AFLW ambassador for NSW. Graham was presented the 2024 JJ Arnold award for the senior club volunteer of the year in the AFL Hunter Central Coast competition, the first Singleton recipient since his wife in 2021.
Singleton Young Achiever of the Year nominees
Hanz Java
As a student at Singleton High School student from 2019 – 2024, Hanz made an exceptional impact through academic excellence, artistic talent and community leadership to set a high standard. His exceptional work ethic and focus have propelled his dream of studying medicine at university, and he aspires to use his school achievements and knowledge gained from his academic journey to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives as a medical professional. Beyond the classroom, Hanz made a significant contribution to the school’s cultural fabric as an accomplished musician and performer showcasing his talent on guitar, piano, bass and as a lead vocalist. He also performed in numerous school assemblies, official events and community engagements, including Singleton Firelight and the Anzac Day service.
Dr Jared Lawrence
A Singleton High School alumni and medical student, Dr Lawrence is already making an outstanding impact on improving the health and well-being of the Singleton community and executing an exceptional vision for the future of rural healthcare. His vision extends to inspiring the next generation in Singleton to pursue careers in health and to adopt healthier lifestyles through mentoring and engaging with local students, providing guidance and encouragement to others who aspire to make a difference in the health sector.
Meg Nagle
Following the heartbreaking loss of her mother to a swift battle with brain cancer, Meg channeled her grief into action with a relentless dedication to supporting brain cancer charities, including the Mark Hughes Foundation. This included organising two major fundraising events held in Singleton that together raised $196,000 and drew a personal thanks from Mark Hughes. Adding to her impressive efforts, Meg also dedicated her time to participate in two remarkable treks to raise funds for brain cancer charity. These treks, each covering 150 kilometres, included a three-day journey walking between Newcastle and Sydney which collectively raised almost $250,000 for the cause.