Girl with her dog enjoying the Australia Day Festival

2016 Australia Day Awards

Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 City of Greater Dandenong’s Australia Day Awards. The winners were recognised for their service to our community in a special ceremony at Dandenong Park as part of the Australia Day Festival.

  • Citizen of the Year: Fr Jean Mawal
  • Volunteer of the Year: Tracey Walden
  • Leadership Award: Hayatullah Rahimi
  • Multicultural Award: Andrew South and Matthew Pond, Noble Park CFA Noble Park
  • Sports Person of the Year: Aaliyah Corles
  • Corporate Citizen of the Year: David Willersdorf
  • Young Leader of the Year: Mohammad Reza Haidariand Khalid Katikang (Joint winners)
  • Sporting Hall of Fame - Michael Findlay
  • Community Hall of Fame - Be Ha
On
Award judges were impressed with 12 year old Aaliyah’s athletic ability and particularly her willingness to help encourage and
CFA members, Andrew South and Matthew Pond, have worked to increase CFA membership by encouraging people from culturally divers
Be arrived in Australia from Vietnam by boat in 1979.  After the horrific journey, Be set about helping others settle into
A leader of the Antiochian Church, Fr Jean Mawal has been recognised for his influence in promoting a more tolerant and respect
Hayatullah Rahimi, himself a former refugee, is recognised for his commitment to raising awareness about refugee and asylum see
Since arriving in Australia aged 12 as an unaccompanied minor from Sudan, Khalid Katikang has given back to his adopted communi
Michael Findlay has given a lifetime of outstanding service to cricket in the Dandenong District spanning 40 years. Throug
Mohammad Reza Haidari has been recognised for his outstanding service as a volunteer for organisations across Greater Dand
Tracey Walden has been recognised for her 35 years of service to the Noble Park Junior and Senior Football clubs, and for promo