Celebrate the heart of our community and nominate a local hero
Published on 21 November 2025
Do you know someone who goes the extra mile to make life better in the City of Whittlesea? Nominations are now open for the 2025 City of Whittlesea Community Awards.
The Awards are a chance to say thank you to the neighbours, volunteers, leaders and everyday heroes who make our community a great place to live. They celebrate the residents who have made an extraordinary impact through their service, leadership, and dedication.
The 2025 Community Awards will be presented in the following categories:
- Citizen of the Year
- Young Citizen of the Year
- Senior Citizen of the Year
- Access and Inclusion Citizen of the Year
- Sustainable Environment Citizen or Group of the Year
The award recipients are determined by the Community Award Committee, who evaluate and assess the nominations. The committee is made up of:
- one City of Whittlesea Councillor
- one member of the City of Whittlesea Executive Leadership Team (non-voting)
- a minimum of three and maximum of six community representatives
- award recipients from the previous year.
At the Council Meeting on Tuesday 18 November 2025, the following community representatives were appointed to the committee until October 2028:
- Beatrix van Lunenburg
- Preeti Prasad
- Matthew Bui
- Malcolm Shimmins
- Najam UsSaqib
- Dhawa Lam.
Award nominations will close on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
The awards will be presented during the annual City of Whittlesea Community Festival on Sunday, 15 March 2026.
To learn more about the awards and to nominate, visit whittlesea.vic.gov.au/communityawards.
Quotes attributable to City of Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Lawrie Cox:
"The City of Whittlesea is home to so many remarkable people who give their time and energy to make our community stronger.
Whether it’s volunteering, supporting neighbours, protecting our environment or inspiring change, these awards provide an opportunity to shine a light on those everyday heroes who make a real difference in the lives of others.
As someone who has been a volunteer in sporting organisations for many years and currently as a Justice of the Peace, we want to recognise the valuable work that volunteers provide to our community.
I encourage you to nominate someone who has made a difference, so we can come together to celebrate their achievements and continue to build a stronger, more vibrant city."
Quote attributable to 2024 Young Citizen of the Year recipient, Zachary Melvaine:
“It’s humbling to know my efforts are being recognised. It gives me a boost to keep giving back.”