Gallery | Cobram Australia Day awards

On Sunday, January 26, the community gathered to mark a highlight on the annual calendar.

Mr Davey, who was named Cobram’s 2025 Citizen of the Year at the event, said he was surprised and grateful to be recognised by the community.

A founding member of the Cobram Pipe Band, Mr Davey has also played table tennis for the past 37 years and has now tallied 52 years of milking dairy cows.

“I’ve been playing for 68 years, since I was nine, so I feel a bit strange not being able to play today. But I know I’ll be back,” he said.

There were 36 nominations across six award categories for Moira Shire communities from Nathalia to Yarrawonga.

Tyler Holt, 14, couldn’t hide his surprise when he was named Cobram Junior Citizen of the Year.

“I can’t really describe [how it feels],” Tyler said.

“I’m very, very happy.”

Tyler’s mum, Melissa, spoke of how proud the family was of the young achiever.

“I am very proud of him,” she said. “But so is his family. We had family members come up from Melbourne just to be here today, and they’re very proud of him,” Melissa said.

Despite a demanding year, the Cobram SES Unit was named Cobram Community Organisation of the Year — the first time the unit has received such an award in its almost 50-year history.

Unit controller Luke Herezo expressed pride in his tight-knit team of volunteers.

“We’re elated. It’s been a challenging 2024. We’ve had a particularly high inflation of road trauma and tree downs, so it really is a reflection of the hard work our volunteers are doing in the community,” he said.

Cobram’s Sydney Cogdell couldn’t conceal his surprise when he found out he was his hometown’s Young Citizen of the Year.

“When I found out I had won... first of all I was shocked, as in ‘Oh, I actually won this’, and the second was ‘What am I going to say?’ as I approached the podium,“ he said.

Dr Emonson congratulated all who were nominated for a Cobram Australia Day award for 2025.

“What you do to support your community is a key part of Cobram’s success. I want again to thank the organisers of today, particularly the Rotary Club of Cobram, who have once again put on this fantastic event for us all to enjoy,” he said.

Further afield, an intimate crowd gathered on Katamatite’s Police Paddock, where the Katamatite CFA brigade was named its town’s Community Organisation of the Year.

Across the Murray River, the 2025 Berrigan Shire awards ceremony began.

More than a dozen new citizens were welcomed and pledged allegiance to their new home at the ceremony, at the event emceed by Mayor Julia Cornwell McKean.

Matthew Mueller was named Berrigan Shire Citizen of the Year for his extensive involvement with Finley’s St Joseph’s Primary School, the Finley Football Netball Club, and the Finley Show Society.