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Shire of Victoria Plains
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2017 COMUNITY GROUP AWARD FOR SHIRE OF VICTORIA PLAINS
ST JOHN AMBULANCE
Good Morning ladies and gentlemen, I have the great pleasure of presenting this award to an outstanding group of
people who selflessly give their time and energy to our community.
The members of this group are often called on during unsociable hours to deal with
situations which can be confronting, dangerous and sometimes too personal. This
group of people go above and beyond expectations to provide our community with
care during the worst of times and without them small communities like ours would
struggle to have any access to a rapid medical response which would no doubt result
in a increased rise in fatalities. In short this group of volunteers are a vital necessity
within the rural community and I would like to thank every one of the people involved.
It gives me immense pleasure to present the Shire of Victoria Plains Australia Day
Award for community group 2017 to the Victoria Plains St Johns Ambulance and I
ask Gavin Halligan to please come forward to accept the award.
2017 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AWARD - VICTORIA PLAINS SHIRE
KERKHOF CARNABY GROUP
The Active Citizenship Award acknowledges community groups or events for their contributions to their local
communities. The award recognises initiatives which have brought about a positive change, and have added value to
community life.
The Kerkhof Carnaby Group are an active community volunteer group who are dedicated to the conservation and
promotion of Carnaby Black Cockatoos in the Victoria Plains Shire. Its members are based within the Moora and
Victoria Plains Shire, and consist of the well-known Carnaby carer, Wally Kerkhof. The group has worked in conjunc-
tion with the Mogumber Progress Association and Yued group to help plan and monitor the Carnaby activity at the
Mogumber Town Reserve. They actively promote the plight of the Carnaby to the wider community, and highlight the
reserve as an important habitat through their partnership with the Moore Catchment Council.
Carnaby Black Cockatoos are an endangered bird species endemic to WA. They are listed under the Federal and
State Governments as a threatened species, with top estimates of only 11,000 birds left in WA. Conservation efforts
are vital to help their survival, and the Kerkhof Carnaby Group have played an active role in encouraging the breeding
of these birds in the Mogumber Town Reserve.
The Carnaby Black Cockatoo is a symbolic representative of the Shire of Victoria Plains, and they are a totem animal
for the Yued Aboriginal people. The group has helped ‘fight’ for the recognition and conservation of Carnaby’s in the
Mogumber Town Reserve. Since late 2014, the Kerkhof Carnaby Group have liaised with the Shire, various Depart-
ments and community groups, and the local Members of Parliament to raise
the awareness of both the importance of the Mogumber Town Reserve and of
the Carnaby Black Cockatoos.
For their tireless conservational work, which has recently born fruit with the
birth of twin Carnaby Cockatoos, I am proud to present the Active Citizenship
Award to the Kerkhof Carnaby Group.
NEWS FROM THE CHAMBERS