Wee Waa blitzed the field at the Narrabri Shire’s Australia Day Awards ceremony.

Peter Carrett was named joint winner of the 2020 Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award, sharing the honour with Narrabri’s Harvey Black from the Volunteer Rescue Association.

“I was very humbled to receive a nomination for Citizen of the Year and especially when I read through the citations of all of the other nominees and then to be declared a joint winner of the award left me a little overwhelmed,” said Mr Carrett.

Wee Waa’s Julie Dowleans was also nominated in the Citizen of the Year category for her community service.

The annual Australia Day awards recognise the achievements and outstanding service of community members and groups who make a significant contribution to the Narrabri Shire community or have achieved exceptional results in sporting or cultural endeavours.

Council received nominations in the categories of Australia Day Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Community Event of the Year and Environmental Citizen of the Year.

Peter Carrett’s ongoing contribution to the district not only makes him a worthy winner but a wonderful role model and  ambassador  for Wee Waa.

The former principal of Wee Waa Public School and Burren Junction Public School now pours his passion and energy into the Wee Waa Community Band, which he formed in September 2018.

“There is nothing like the power of music to lift the soul out of darkness, particularly when times are tough – it’s a good mantra for this group,” said Mr Carrett in a previous Wee Waa News story about the band.

The band continues to grow in numbers and the boost hasn’t just lifted the spirits of its musical members but also the region’s residents who have enjoyed listening to the band play at a variety of events from Anzac Day to Carols night and regularly at Whiddon.

Mr Carrett has recruited band members of all ages and some have never even played a note before joining the band yet he has encouraged them to perform.

His positivity is infectious and he strongly believes that anything is possible.

“After considering what it means to be named a citizen of the year I think it is an affirmation of daring to have a positive dream for your community,” said Mr Carrett.

“The drought means people have little time for relaxing or entertaining such cultural pursuits as participating in a community band,” said Peter Carrett, founder of the Wee Waa Community Band and joint winner of the Narrabri Shire’s Citizen of the Year Award.

“But if I had waited until the drought ended I might be too old to give the band the time to grow that it will need.

“So I dared to dream that a band could develop in Wee Waa,” said Mr Carrett.

“To other people who dream I say give it a go.

“No one does things in their community thinking of possible awards.

“We are bound by the physical location we reside in but the community we live in is bound by people.

“It is people who make our town what it is.

“John Kennedy said famously ‘ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country’- the same applies to our community.

“I have a gift for music and teaching which I use to inspire people and put a smile on their face.

“Every one of us has skills and abilities we can use to build up our fellow man so I say ‘dare to dream’ and try to do the best you can in whatever circumstance you find yourself in and smile.

“It makes people wonder what you have been up to,” said Mr Carrett.

The 2020 Australia Day Young Citizen of the Year Award was awarded to Wee Waa’s Emily Shearin.

Emily was nominated for her outstanding achievements in mentoring and advocacy for rural Australia and the wider local community.

Emily was also the 2019 Wee Waa High School captain.

She was unable to attend the ceremony but thanked the Narrabri Shire for “the opportunity to represent the youth of our community”.

“Also, congratulations to the other young people on gaining recognition in the community,” said Emily.

“It is excellent to see Mr Carrett recognised as Citizen of the Year.

“Go Wee Waa!”

The winner of the Community Event of the Year for 2020 was the Narrabri Chamber of Commerce – Back to the Bri Festival and Truck Show and the  Environmental Citizen of the Year for 2020 was awarded to Georgia Goodhew who was nominated for initiating a recycling program that has now been integrated into the weekly sports activities.

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