Bellingen Shire Council warmly invites the community to the 2026 Community Awards Ceremony at the Bellingen Memorial Hall on Friday 23 January 2026.
The awards provide a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the people, groups, and businesses that make our community so special, shining a spotlight on those who dedicate their time, energy, and creativity to making a real difference.
This year, we are excited to introduce three new award categories, Arts & Culture, Environment & Sustainability, and the Community Business Impact Award, joining our much-loved Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Sport & Recreation, and Home-Grown Hero awards.
Mayor Cr. Steve Allan will also host an official Citizenship Ceremony on the night and is looking forward to the event highlighting the many ways our Shire is connected, creative, and sustainable.
“The calibre of nominations this year truly reflects the wonderful spirit and people of our Shire,” said Mayor Allan.
“A big thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate and celebrate our local heroes, you’ve helped shine a light on the amazing contributions happening in our community.”
“It’s been fantastic to see such a strong response this year, with a record number of nominations – triple what we’ve seen in the last two years.”
“The dedication and achievements of our local heroes are truly inspiring, and choosing the winners was a tough but very rewarding job.”
Winners and Highly Commended for each category will be announced on the night which will be MC’d by last year’s Young Citizen of the Year winner, Willa Herron.
Attendees will enjoy light refreshments and live music from KT, Memo & Otis with special guests Georgie Chorley and rising star Teale Kelly-Wright, creating a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere as we recognise the achievements and dedication of our community throughout 2025.
The 2026 nominees include:
Citizen of the Year:
Peter French
Michael & Cynthia Shord
Susan Lumsdaine
Michelle Stockton
Young Citizen of the Year
Marley Stagg
Della Byrnes
Lilliana Bowen
Felicity Fern
Brydi Fittock
Myra Sibanda
Home Grown Hero
Philomena O’Mullane
Judy Henderson
Jennifer Goode
Frank Perez
The Kindness Kitchen
Lifehouse Care Community Pantries
Sport & Recreation Award
Urunga Parkrun (Pim Heaney)
Elizabeth Hoy
Matteus Wiggers
Arts & Culture Award
Bellingen Youth Orchestra
Happymess Studio
Budaabung Bari Dance Group
Hayley Egan
Annie Phelan
Louise Bravery
Linda Coomber
Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival Committee (Bridget Rees)
Environment & Sustainability Award
Liz Brown
Zenzi Grace
Bellingen Island Landcare Group
Jennifer Sewell (Bellingen St Landcare Group Urunga)
Mr & Mrs Ulrieke Kethel
Dr Timothy Cadmen
Community Impact Business Award
Saltwater Sistas
Kombu Wholefoods
Alex Caminer
Coastal Harvest
Megan and Ben Garnoch – The Dorrigo Butcher/Dorrigo Deli
Beth O’Loughlin – Peaches Patisserie
Levenvale Farm
Event Details:
What: Bellingen Shire Community Awards
Date: 23 January 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Location: Bellingen Memorial Hall
Everyone is warmly invited to attend, and Council looks forward to a lively and memorable celebration of the remarkable individuals who contribute to the enrichment of the Bellingen Shire community.
Reserve your seats at: https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-bellingen-shire-community-awards-night-2026
2025 Community Awards Willa Herron