Sarah Oliver
Moorabool Shire Council will present the 2022 Australia Day Award Recipients at the Australia Day Ceremony today, Wednesday January 26, 2022.
The recipient of the citizen of the year will be given to Bacchus Marsh born Bob Closter.
Mr Closter has played football and cricket for Maddingley and Bacchus Marsh, but his main love from early years is horses.
He has been heavily involved with the equestrian community in the Moorabool shire, including at the Bacchus Marsh Pony Club where he was an instructor, coach, committee member, president and groundskeeper.
Up until recently he would spend hours on the tractor slashing grass on the Racecourse Reserve, even though he is now 88 years old. He still attends the Pony Club regularly, and still instructs the children on how to ride.
Mr Closter received a ‘Living Legends’ Special Commemoration Award in 2019 from Pony Club Australia, one of only three to be given out.
The mayor award will be presented to Karen Pinder who has been working hard throughout the pandemic to ‘Mask the Marsh’.
Ms Pinder has provided over 4,700 free masks to children and adults, anyone who needs them, to keep them COVID safe.
Moorabool council said the mayor award is recognition of Karen’s commitment to her community, and a way of thanking Karen for her efforts.
Certificates of Appreciation will also be presented at the ceremony to two recipients who made noteworthy contributions to the community in the Citizen of the Year category.
These will be presented to Trevor Crawford and Susanna McPherson.
The ceremony has been closed to the public. However, residents can watch the ceremony via the livestream here starting at 9:30am.
Link to ceremony: bit.ly/32u2XDn
