For the township of Rochester, its indomitable spirit headlined an Australia Day ceremony to remember after a tumultuous few months battling floods.
Approximately 100 community members gathered at the Rochester Lions Park on the Thursday to commemorate Australia Day, observing the raising of the Australian flag by SES member Cade Kindness before a fly-by from an Echuca Aero Club formation.
The Rochester Lions Club put on breakfast and beverages before the official commencement of ceremonies, with Campaspe Shire Cr Paul Jarman revealing an exciting recipient of the Rochester and district Citizen of the Year award.
The 2023 recipient of the award was none other than the Rochester community — and it’s not hard to see why.
The community was granted Citizen of the Year honours on the back of the wide-ranging contributions of volunteers, locals and emergency services during the 2022 floods, a time when the town once again needed to band together in the face of disaster.
Rochester’s Judith Gledhill brought forward the idea with a nomination for the entire community, and duly accepted the honour on behalf of the town from Cr Jarman.
The Rochester and district Citizen of the Year was Rochester Secondary School student Georgia Matthews, who also praised the resilience of her town.