Gladstone Regional Council has announced its 2026 Australia Day Awards recipients during a ceremony held last night at Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre. Nine categories were awarded at the ceremony including Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Sport and Recreation, Young Peoples Sport and Recreation, Arts and Culture, Community Event, Community Volunteer Award, Mayor’s Community Champion Award and Mayor’s Young Community Champion Award. The Gladstone Region also welcomed 76 new Australian citizens from 21 different countries including Bangladesh, India, Iran, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and United Kingdom. Citizen of the Year was awarded to recently retired Queensland Police Service Inspector Darren Somerville, while Young Citizen of the Year was awarded to former Gladstone Region Youth Council member Ava Hetherington.
First Nations artist and local reverend, Jarrod Beezley received the Arts and Culture Award, The Old Station Flying Club received the Community Event Award for The Old Station Air Show, disability advocate Kate Dufty received the Community Volunteer Award, BITS Saints stalwart Brendan Clarke received the Sport and Recreation Award and junior athletics champion Milly Sharpe received the Young Peoples Sport and Recreation Award – the same award her brother Ethan received at the 2024 Awards.
Bev Fellows and Gloria Holmes received the Mayor’s Community Champion Award and Doug Hoffmann received the Mayor’s Young Community Champion Award.
2026 Australia Day Awards winners
Citizen of the Year: Darren Somerville
Young Citizen of the Year: Ava Hetherington
Sport and Recreation Award: Brendan Clarke
Young Peoples Sport and Recreation Award: Milly Sharpe
Arts and Culture Award: Jarrod Beezley
Community Event Award: The Old Station Air Show
Community Volunteer Award: Kate Dufty
Mayor’s Community Champion Award: Bev Fellows and Gloria Holmes
Mayor’s Young Community Champion Award: Doug Hoffmann.
Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett shared his congratulations and expressed gratitude towards all winners and nominees for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the Gladstone Region.
“I want to thank the winners and all 46 nominees as I know they take a lot of pride in our community and are consistently striving to make our region a better place. I also want to thank the people who took time out to nominate a person or event for a 2026 Australia Day Award, as without their input we are unable to highlight the fantastic community contributions taking place throughout our region.”Mayor Burnett said.
Find the profiles of award winners HERE