Ray is Kyabram’s Citizen of the Year

He had just won the 2025 Kyabram Citizen of the Year award.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Mr Muller said.

While he may have not been expecting it, the award came as no surprise to anyone who has worked with him, has played cricket with him or has been taught by him.

In fact, the overall sentiment was that it had been a long time coming.

Mr Muller has taught generations of children over the years through his time working at the now Kyabram P-12 College as a teacher, deputy principal and even bus supervisor.

On weekends, you'd find him at the crease, a stalwart of the Cooma Cricket Club for more than a quarter-century.

Before that, he donned the colours of the now-defunct United Cricket Club.

Beyond his cricketing passion, Mr Muller has woven himself into the fabric of Kyabram's community life, contributing to the Uniting Church, Plaza Theatre, Cemetery Trust and serving as treasurer for the Country Education Project for a decade.

His fellow committee members at the Plaza Theatre told the Free Press they were not surprised he had won Citizen of the Year.

Come Monday, January 27 on a hot summer morning, the last thing Mr Muller expected was to be called on stage to accept the title of Citizen of the Year.

Emcee Steph Dean said Mr Muller’s contributions to various organisations had tallied to 125 years of service.

While on stage accepting his award, he thanked the person who had nominated him and Kyabram Rotary Club for carrying out these awards.

“This has come as a total surprise to me, but a very welcome one,” Mr Muller said.

“I’ve been involved in several groups and I found the interaction with members of those quite diverse groups to be most enjoyable.

“I’d just like to say thank you very much — I’m a bit overwhelmed.”