Australia Day Breakfast – Eudunda 2019 – Awards

2019 Australia Day Celebrations at Eudunda

What a lucky day, previous days winds gone, pleasant, warm morning at the Eudunda Centenary Gardens, as the delicious smell of cooking bacon & eggs and BBQ came wafting into the gardens from the great cooks of the Eudunda Sporting Club who were doing the catering as a fund raiser.

By the time 9am came, over 160 people had assembled for the Australia Day Presentations and this year there was a good number of kids attending too which was encouraging to see.

First official duty was performed by Councillor Peter Schiller who recited the “Acknowledgement to Country”, a new initiative by the Regional Council of Goyder. We wish to acknowledge and thank the Council for sponsoring this mornings event.

Everyone was upstanding for the Australian National Anthem. MC for the day, Peter Herriman explained that the crew up the front were all new this year. He thanked Bill Mader and Greg Post who had organised the event for many years, and for serving the community on the Eudunda CMC and then Eudunda Community, Business and Tourism (ECBAT) since 1998.

Eudunda Ward Councillors Debbie Hibbert and Peter Schiller were introduced. A welcome was made to all our visitors, from Adelaide, Gawler, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Riverland and California USA.

Eudunda Community, Business and Tourism Committee Chairman, Trevor Mathews thanked Council for their sponsorship of the event and then thanked the great work of the Garden Volunteers.

Trevor mentioned how this year the volunteers had to spend extra time getting the gardens ready as council staff had apparently forgotten to do so. The volunteers average age is about 75 to 80 years old and they would love more people to help them.

Trevor thanked the Eudunda Sporting Club for catering for the morning as the worked as a fundraiser for clubroom upgrades, and this drew great applause. A summary of some of the achievements that ECBAT have seen over the year included Goyder’s Line Monument, thanks to David Scholz, Jim Dunstan & Marcus Reseigh. The Lavender Federation Trail is now complete, starting from Murray Bridge, the final stage was opened at Clare in April last year. Eudunda sees about 70 to 80 people on the tracker even in these warmer months, this gives an opportunity for local businesses. The caravan park is seeing steady use, and 3 more sites were prepared. A grant of $50 thousand the Dept of Recreation and Sport has been awarded for upgrades at the swimming pool which will see pool covers. shade cloth, fencing and a lifting device or ramp installed. Three ward funding grants from Council means the community will have a defibrillator installed in the main street and training courses are in planning, a new committee notice board is ready for the main street and money for a coin operated laundry in the Caravan Park. Trees and landscaping at the Top Car Park have tided up that area, and work on the information bay is in progress. Trevor also thanked the Eudunda Street Party for their popular event. Letters for support of the new Silo Art project are coming in and everyone is invited to submit theirs.

Peter Schiller then gave a short summary about items they are addressing at Council. Cr Hibbert has been working on the Silo Art Project. Council has allotted $480 thousand for the Sporting Clubrooms redevelopment which should start soon. Council CEO will start negotiations with Viterra for the Railway Yards to be acquired by ECBAT. Negotiations of Council to supply a Town Gardener have to wait to be submitted to this years budget in April.

Shane Schutz spoke on the Eudunda Sporting Clubrooms redevelopment. Its been a long time coming and the Committee are grateful that Drought Relief Funding to Council, who have passed on $480 thousand to help with the upgrade. They are still finalising some things but the project should start in the next few months, a big thanks to Goyder Council. A big round of applause was given for the hard work that committee has put in.

Tidy Towns Awards Eudunda 2018 Winners

Best Community Project/Event: Eudunda Christmas Party received by Julia Schutz on behalf of the committee of herself, Kristy Watson, Alison Schutz, Della James, Amanda Pfeiffer and Lisa Menzel. She thanked their many sponsors and everyone for attending.

Christmas Light Displays: Jamie Vandeham & Deb Heays
and Ms Cheryl Tracey & Ms Denise Trenham, Both properties are on Hannan Street,

Best Presented Property for Residents over 70: Mr & Mrs Keith Geister, Gunn Street,

Most Improved Residential Property: Elizabeth Young, Bruce Street,

Best Community Grounds: Eudunda Gardens received by Pam Dutschke,
Pam gave a summary of what has happened in the gardens over the year, or perhaps it was the lack of improvements. She was thankful there was water in the gardens this summer and spoke of last year only having one tap to water much of the gardens, of having to use her hoses, her time. She said in 2004 there were 20 volunteers, of that group she is the only one remaining. She thanked the current volunteers, Shirley, Murray, Greg, Bobbie, Peter and Neil.

What a rousing catch phrase Pam has called out.

“We do care about ‘My-dunda, Eu-dunda, Our-dunda’ “

Pam went on to suggest that the Regional Council of Goyder need to supply a gardener for one full day a week for the gardens and around the town.
Pam noted that ‘no lawns were cut or rubbish removed for seven weeks over December and January’ and thanked Greg Post for cutting the lawn yesterday morning. She also summarised other items council should do, such as poisoning the weeds early, and making the town entrances tidy.

Best Presented Gardens: Shirley Reimann, Barwell Street,
Best Presented Business Premises: Bruce Street – Good Karma Cafe, received by Raj & Sarah Rajkotwala, who also gave gift vouchers to the Tidy Town winners,
Best Rural Garden Property: No Nomination, (if you know someone who has a beautiful Rural Property, please let us know.)
Best Presented Property: Kip & Mary Laucke, Kapunda Street, Kip spoke on the honour of receiving the award, and acknowledged that Mary was the one who does the work in their garden,

“The thing that makes most gardens good – is water , above here in the railway line plants are dying because of lack of water, they are dying, and it saddens me greatly”.

Robertstown’s Australia Day winners

Our MC then congratulated Robertstown’s Australia Day winners, Jackson Friebel – Junior Citizen for Robertstown, Michael and Jeanette Colby – Citizens of the Year, Robertstown Melbourne Cup Luncheon – Robertstown Event of the year.

Eudunda’s Young Citizen of the Year

Eudunda Family Heritage Gallery Chairperson Peter Horne introduced this years Young Citizen of the Year Winner, with a long list of activities and achievements as he introduce Samuel Doering.

Samuel is currently in London, studying, and through the marvels of technology we were able to talk with him directly, where in London it was 11:17pm. Samuel said,
“I would like to say how tremendously honoured I am to be nominated by my community to receive this aware, I am indeed truly humbled, and while I cannot be with you in person I am watching from a distance and thinking of you all.

“In the last months before leaving I had the great opportunity to sort through and reordering the entire photographic collection of the Eudunda Family Heritage Gallery, with thousands of photographs spanning 149 years of the towns history, which sparked something inside me to tell our extraordinary history, and that we have got some fantastic stories, By sharing this on Social Media more has been uncovered”.

Samuel told of the many things Australia Day means to him, as a historian, and to all, listing the most important value of all as ‘Unconditional Mateship’.

In summary Samuel shared one final sentiment,

“In the four and a half months I have been studying abroad, I have learnt of the great value of home and community. We sometimes forget the importance of both, yet we wholly depend on each, so I say this, ‘Value our beautiful town for its unique identity and relish every opportunity to become involved in our local community, no matter the position and no matter the role, because the rewards of volunteering in one’s community are greater than you would expect.’ I wish you all a very happy Australia Day, Thank You!”.

Samuel’s award was presented to his parents Caroline & Michael Doering, and Samuel not only got to speak at the breakfast, but to see and hear all of the event, thanks to his parents.

 

Eudunda’s Event of The Year

Eudunda’s Event of The Year was awarded to the Eudunda Show Committee for the 2018 Eudunda Show. Show President Richard Schulz addressed the gathering. He called for his committee to stand up with him.

“I believe the Eudunda Show is truly a community event as everyone comes together in that last weekend before the show to put it all together. Whether you are a committee member, patron, judge, convener, steward, business sponsor, prize donor or show member we sincerely thank you.”

It was ever so pleasing to see that at the presentation there were eight Past Presidents of the Eudunda Show present to see the presentation.

Eudunda’s Community Achievement Award

We are pleased to announce Eudunda Senior Constable Neil Valderemao as this years winner of the Community Achievement Award. Neil is another example of someone happy to move to a small country town, someone willing to go that extra mile in his work and even more in support of the region in his spare time. Neil works quietly in the background helping those who need it most.

Unfortunately due to work commitments, Neil was unable to attend the presentation, he had been rostered on overnight and that day and had a very long shift. Our Police in the country are called on 24/7 and they do it willingly. We thank them for their dedication.

Among the many community minded things Neil has done is try to engage with troubled youth and people going through hard times – he has done this outside his normal policing work. As well he enjoys getting out to meet people and country policing, joining in with local darts and bowls.

Eudunda’s Citizen of the Year

Cr Debbie Hibbert introduced this years, Citizen of the Year

“I nominated Citizen of the Year because of his unrelenting dedication to our community, he attends every single community event, documents it, takes photos, updates websites, writes the newsletter and probably a dozen other things. He is also celebrating his 20th year of volunteering for our community. So today I would like to introduce the winner Peter Herriman.

In reply Peter thanked Debbie, and his family who have supported his volunteering efforts. Peter then took people on a journey of volunteering in the district over the last 20 years. His main focus has been on the Eudunda Community, Business and Tourism Committee (ECBAT), the highlights and the major events of the district.

“I would like to mention some amazing regular events that happen in our district, include the Eudunda Show, 24 Hour Reliability Trial, JAK Golf Weekends, South Australian Living Artists (SALA), the ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day Services, Christmas Street Party to name a few. There have also been some other great events of note – Colin Thiele 85th Birthday Celebrations, the Storytelling Festival for several years and the Eudunda’s Market Day just to name a few.

“This year ECBAT will be focusing on raising committees to run two major events in 2020 – the Eudunda 150th and also Colin Thiele’s 100th Birthday.

“ECBAT has seen the great developments, such as the Gunn Street extension and gardens redevelopment, bronzing of the Colin Thiele Sculpture by Chris Radford, Eudunda Hall Kitchen Redevelopment, Swimming Pool upgrade, creation of Caravan Park, development of the Lavender Federation Trail, documenting our cemeteries, restoring memorials, Eudunda Community Hub and Shed, and trying to preserve the Railway Station, again, to name a few.

“ECBAT tackle the long term issues, and as ECBAT is a not for profit, with no real funding, relying on the cooperation of the Regional Council of Goyder and various grants, I feel it has made some great successes for our region. We have a vacancy on our committee at the moment, would you like to join us.

“I notice that a major focus this year by all speakers has been on volunteering. So to all those who are volunteering, be that in emergency services, working in the town gardens, catering at the hall, being on a club or organisation committee, or just rolling up on a busy day to help a committee run an event, may I humbly say “A Big Thank You” for helping your community.

“Thank you to all those on the committees that I am on now and have previously been on, to my friends that have come up today to support me and a big “Thank You” Jenny, Luke & Toby for all your continuing love and support.”

After the presentations and photos being taken it was discovered that the Eudunda Show had the extreme privilege to have eight Past Presidents of the Eudunda Show all present at one time, celebrating the Eudunda Show win of Event of the Year.

Photos by Luke, Jenny, Toby Herriman