About 650 breakfasts – cooked and served by volunteers – were consumed at the 2023 Australia Day event in Two Rocks this morning.

About 10am Yanchep Two Rocks Community Recreation Association (YTRCRA) president Julie Otremba presented the 2023 citizen, youth and community group of the year awards and two outstanding achievement medallions.

Yanchep resident Sharon Conley, who is a member of the Yanchep Netball Club, received the YTRCRA citizen award.

Sharon joined the netball club with her two daughters in 2018 and quickly started helping out around the club as a parent helper when needed before she took on an assistant coach position in 2019 and moved on to coaching in 2020.

In 2020 she became secretary of the club and still continues with that role as well as coaching.

She has worked at the Two Rocks Medical Centre for five years on the front desk where she always goes out of her way to help and is well known especially to elderly community members.

Sharon was also always helping out with the P&C at Yanchep Beach Primary School until her daughter graduated last year.

Indigenous teenager Demas Newberry was presented with the youth award after he was nominated by the Two Rocks Youth in Emergency Services Cadet Unit of which he is a member.

In his nomination letter the cadet unit leader Derek Young said Demas lived in Two Rocks during the school year.

“We have known Demas since 2016 when he joined our scout group as a cub scout,’’ he wrote.

“At age 11 he became a scout where he soon became a patrol leader, showing leadership potential from an early age.’’

Sixteen-year-old Demas shows great enthusiasm and excels in every area.

“Demas also assists at many local social and recreational events – fun runs and school events as well as events at Sun City Yacht Club.’’

He recently participated in national skills week where he placed in the top 5 in his category.

In October last year he represented the cadet unit at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services youth programs senior cadet leadership camp held near Broome.

“Demas is also involved in peer support at his school.

“He has overcome enormous health challenges over the past few years which have sometimes necessitated that he attend meetings in a wheelchair or on crutches.

“We are very proud of this young man and feel his amazing achievements need to be acknowledged in our community.’’

Demas, who sometimes gets to go home to Jigalong in the school holidays, attends Irene McCormack Catholic College in Butler and told Yanchep News Online he wants to join the army and learn carpentry when he finishes school.

The Yanchep Community Men’s Shed was named the community group of the year.

Mrs Otremba said the community men’s shed helped with community projects, teaching skills, keeping members active, helping with mental health and creating a gathering place where members could work together, have a chat and be involved.

Kerry Barnard of Yanchep received one of the two outstanding achievement medallions handed out at the breakfast.

Kerry is president of the Yanchep Beach Primary School P&C, an admin for the Mum in Yanchep Facebook page, supports the charity Dandelions WA and helps coordinate the Yanchep Farmers Markets.

After Covid-19 she organised events such as comedy nights and bingo for adults and discos for children and also coordinated the YBPS Foundation Fete in 2021.

Kerry works hard at supporting local businesses and bridging the gap between community and family.

Tom Darcey, who has lived in the Yanchep and Two Rocks area for 44 years, received the second outstanding achievement medallion.

Mrs Otremba said Tom had volunteered for the Yanchep Two Rocks Community Bus for many years.

Even before the community bus existed he drove people to the shops or doctors in Two Rocks.

She said he was the longest serving community bus driver.

This article appeared on Yanchep News Online on 26 January 2023.