Welcome!
This was the simple but profound message delivered by South East orthopaedic surgeon Dr Barney McCusker, the Naracoorte Lucindale Australia Day guest speaker.
Welcoming the district’s new citizens, Dr McCusker said by coming to Australia – the great south land – they made the country richer, more colourful and a greater nation.
Naracoorte welcomed seven new citizens, whose countries of origin included the Philippines, England, Tonga, and Thailand.
Dr McCusker said everyone who had come to Australia over the last 65,000 years or the last 200 years had a unique story.
He shared the story of Lucy, an early australopithecine, dated to about 3.2 million years ago, and her resemblance to mankind.
“Three and a half million years ago, Lucy climbed down from a tree in Ethiopia and surveyed the landscape,” Dr McCusker shared.
He said Lucy and her ilk were the first hominids, and the ancestors of all of us today.
“We know a lot about Lucy; we have 40 percent of her skeletal remains. She was about three foot tall, did not have great hands, but she stood erect, and she and her ilk started the evolution of what we are today,” he said.
Dr McCusker said over the next three million years, the hominids evolved through a variety of homo categories.
“Finally, 160,000 years ago, homo sapiens—thinking humans—arose. That’s us. They came from Central Africa and spread out as 10,000 individuals throughout the world,” he said.
So, that 10,000, Dr McCusker said, had now become over seven billion, but all the same, from the same breeding stock.
“That seven billion now look and sound differently, they have a variety of customs, they have a variety of beliefs, they have a variety of music, and a variety of cuisine,” he said.
“That seven billion people around the world from that 10,000 are all essentially the same.”
He reminded the crowds at both Naracoorte and Lucindale that the three fundamental features defining us as homo sapiens are our use of fire, our love for technology, and, most importantly, our ability to love and care for one another as a community.
“So, in coming to Australia, and the great south land, which I believe is the greatest country on earth, what we do is make Australia richer, we make Australia more colourful, more evolved, we just make Australia a greater nation,” Dr McCusker said.
“So, each and every one of you, who have come to Australia now over the last 65,000 years, or over the last 200 years is from the same group – we are all the same.
“And as such, they have come across the sea. In that respect, we are all boat people.
“In my own case, I bring Scottish-Irish heritage, but also due to the behaviour of King Edward I of England, I bring Jewish heritage because he persecuted the Jews of London so that they moved North, and integrated perfectly with the people of Scotland, because of their shared value of family, music, culture, humour, and financial management, you might say.”
Dr. McCusker believed that was evidence that we are all the same.
“Each and every one of us brings our own unique story of your ancestry, encompassing your own culture, your music, your community, your customs, your humour, and particularly, your cuisine.
“So, in welcoming our new arrivals today (January 26), I’ll simply say: `Welcome’.”
Naracoorte and Lucindale mayor Patrick Ross said the district’s Australia Day award recipients were unsung heroes.
“This year Naracoorte has an incredible seven award recipients, including joint citizens of the year recipients, (and Lucindale three), and all of these awards are proudly presented by the Australia Day Council of South Australia, and administered by the Naracoorte Lucindale Council,” Mr Ross said.
He said the awards acknowledged unsung heroes who, through their contributions, made the community a better place.
“These individuals, organisations and groups offer outstanding service each day and enable our community to be stronger as a result of their tireless efforts,” Mr Ross said.
Australia Day award winners
The [Naracoorte] News presents excerpts from various award recipients.
Naracoorte:
Joint Naracoorte Citizen of the Year – David Steadman
David goes above and beyond through his role as a community pharmacist and is a current and long-standing member of many boards including the Naracoorte Area Health Advisory Council, the Longridge Aged Care Board and Naracoorte SA 4WD Club.
“What can I say? It’s great to be here in Naracoorte. I am a product of my parents, my mum and dad. They were both very caring people, grandma and grandpa were both very caring people and always finished off by my wife. Behind every good man, there is a good woman—someone who puts up with the late nights, early mornings, and occasional grumpiness. I have always enjoyed what I do. I love helping people, and I work with a huge number of people across a big range in health, and I find that if I come across someone with a problem, I can phone anyone, and they will come and help me. It’s a very proud moment to be up here and sharing this position equally with Senior Constable Chris Mailley, and Chris is someone I have respected very greatly for a long time myself. You do what you do, and then eventually you do it for long enough that someone notices you, and puts your name forward, and here you are.”
Joint Naracoorte Citizen of the Year – Senior Constable Chris Mailley
Senior Constable Mailley was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the entire Upper South East community, particularly through his role in the development of the Upper South East Domestic Abuse Program (USEDAP).
“It’s a privilege to be standing amongst such remarkable people. It’s also an honour to share this award with such a pillar of our town, David Steadman, and between you and me, it is also fantastic to be standing alongside somebody who is my height for once. That really doesn’t happen very often. Today’s (January 26) awards do not take anything away from the many people we all know who contribute so much to our town and to others. I feel personally very touched to be here with so many caring, kind and compassionate people that collectively, we call our community. Amanda (my wife) and I moved to Australia in 2009, and it is fair to say that most mornings, while walking our dogs, we acknowledge how lucky we are to be living and working among some truly great people. As a police officer, I work in family, domestic and sexual violence. Over the last couple of years, the police and our community have created a very unique and exceptional partnership in the form of the Upper South East Domestic Abuse Program. This program has helped many victims and survivors of domestic violence, regardless of gender, escape unsafe situations and find a safe passage to a new life. The outcomes of this partnership have been truly outstanding. But this is only one example of how strong and united our community is. I see firsthand how people deliver such generosity and kindness to others who are at their most vulnerable. Whether or not you celebrate Australia Day, it remains a day of unity for everyone in some form.”
Naracoorte Active Citizen Award – Anne Emerson
Ms Emerson was awarded for her outstanding contribution to the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery through her role as a board member and volunteer.
Naracoorte Young Citizen of the Year – Emma Gallagher
Ms Gallagher was recognised for her outstanding voluntary contribution to the community, particularly to the Naracoorte P&A Society Show Committee and South East Dressage Club.
“I would like to thank the council (Naracoorte Lucindale Council) for presenting this award. I feel very grateful to have received it. I am also grateful for the clubs I am part of, and I really enjoy helping with the show (Naracoorte Show), and I look forward to representing the show at the Regional Rural Ambassador Awards in April.”
Naracoorte Community Event of the Year – Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Festival
Representative – Tom Short, site manager, Naracoorte Caves.
“On behalf of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the staff at the Naracoorte Caves, I would like to thank the council for this award and everyone else who was involved in organizing the festival—particularly the Naracoorte Lucindale Council staff who assisted. Without their help, the event would not have been as successful as it was. The Naracoorte Caves staff made a fantastic effort over the weekend, and, of course, the Naracoorte community played a crucial role—these sorts of events don’t happen without strong community support.”
Naracoorte Certificate of Appreciation – Glenn Mathieson
Mr Mathieson was recognised for his over 45 years of contribution to basketball.
“Firstly, I would like to thank the NDBA (Naracoorte District Basketball Association), from the people who started down in Market Square with their car lights on to those who developed a new stadium, which is now nearly 50 years old. I would also like to thank everyone who has volunteered during those times. Additionally, I would like to express my gratitude to my family and friends. They have always stood by me. I especially want to thank my lovely wife, Geraldine—many of you would know her through the kindergarten community. Years ago, we made the decision not to have children together; she pursued a teaching career, and I followed the basketball pathway. Now, 40 to 50 years later, I think we have impacted most of the kids in the district.”
Naracoorte Certificate of Appreciation – Friends of the Naracoorte Cemetery volunteers.
The group was recognised for their outstanding efforts at the Naracoorte Cemetery.
Group representative said:
“The Friends of the Naracoorte Cemetery volunteer group thanks the Naracoorte Lucindale Council for establishing this initiative. The Friends of the Naracoorte Cemetery are a group of like-minded carers who hold the cemetery in high esteem and deep respect. It is also a place we enjoy visiting—a resting place for our dear friends and relatives. We care for people both young and old, including those who have not been visited for many months or years and those without headstones. As volunteers, we make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and foster a sense of belonging in the community. The gardening we do at the cemetery is not a chore or a job; rather, it is a meaningful and rewarding experience. We look forward to the time we spend there. We are very proud of our work in removing and pruning old shrubs, and we eagerly anticipate planting replacements this year.”
Lucindale:
Lucindale Citizen of the Year – Vivienne Hocking
Ms Hocking was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the Lucindale community through her long-term involvement with the Naracoorte and Districts Suicide Prevention Network, Lucindale Netball Club, Lucindale Country Club and the Lucindale Economic Development Board (LINC).
“When I first came to Lucindale in 1970, I wondered, ‘How do I meet people?’ So, I was invited to attend a mothers and babies health association meeting, and that’s where my volunteering journey began. Then it was kindergarten, then school, and so on—always following children around. Back then, Lucindale was a very different country town from what it is today. There were about 1,500 people in the Lucindale Council District, and yes, we had our own council. We had an ambulance centre where the infant welfare nurse would visit fortnightly to check on babies and children up to the age of five. There was a post office with a counter running east to west, three garages, five livestock agents, a hardware store, two supermarkets with a hairdresser in between, a hotel, the RAOAB Lodge Hall, a police station, a council office, a bakery, a newsagent, a haberdashery store, a butcher, a wool store, a fire brigade station, a deli, a takeaway shop, five churches, a town hall, a RSL building, a school, and a kindergarten. The railway station was still operational, with the railway line running through the middle of town, often carrying sheep to market, transporting wool, or bringing fertilizer for farmers. And, of course, parcels were collected from the station. Sporting clubs included football, netball, bowls, tennis, the newly developed country club course, gymnastics, and regular darts competitions. There was a carols society, a drama group, a CWA Church Guild group, the Red Cross, and many other organisations offering volunteering opportunities.”
Lucindale Active Citizenship Award – Rachel Major
Ms Major was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the Lucindale community, particularly those aged over 55, through her involvement with the Strength for Life program.
“The nomination was a huge surprise, and for the first time I was lost for words. I am really pleased that what I do is appreciated so much by everybody. When I got the phone call, I stopped and thought about where we came from when I started two years ago. And the classes are about fitness and strength and balance, but the big part of Strength and Life is about socialising and catching up with each other.”
Lucindale Community Event of the Year – Lucindale Karting Club for hosting the Australian Dirt Kart National Titles
Representative, vice president, Ben Ludwig
“There is no command in our club. We all work together really well in our club and are proud of what we can achieve. We put a lot of time and effort into it. We thank our volunteers who have helped throughout the years. This is a reminder of what a small club can achieve when you have the support of the local council, businesses, and community. Let’s continue to support each other, embrace new challenges, and create more successful events like this in our community.”
New citizens – Naracoorte
- Carmi Lee Benilan Magapan (Philippines)
- Julius Jimena Magapan (Philippines)
- Sarah Asher Benilan Magapan (Philippines)
- Luren Hazel Smart (England)
- Mischelle O’Loughlin (Philippines)
- Ofa Hafoka (Tonga)
- Bunrian Promkhampa (Thailand)
Lucindale had no new citizens.
See all the pictures in the issue.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte News.
