Dorset Australia Day Awards
Each year as part of our Australia Day celebrations, Dorset Council recognises the achievements of community members by presenting Dorset Australia Day Awards.
2026 Dorset Australia Day Awards
On Thursday, 22 January 2026, Council held their annual awards reception to celebrate those within our community who have made a significant contribution to Dorset at the Mechanics Hall, Scottsdale.
A 150+ strong crowd attended the Dorset Awards Ceremony and listened to why Dorset is great - our fantastic community members and volunteers. The Ceremony, hosted by Mayor Rhys Beattie, saw Australia Day Ambassador Vicki Purnell address those present and impart on them her background and why she is passionate about health and community support. The Ambassador then assisted the Mayor present the following awards.
Those who attended the ceremony were also treated to musical performances by the Scottsdale Choir and Ella Bayles, with supper provided by the Mechanics Hall Committee.
Congratulations to all award recipients and thank you for your contribution to Dorset - hearing everyone’s achievements from their nominations at the Ceremony cemented why Dorset is so great - all of you!
2026 Citizen of the Year | Ally Mercer
Ally has been central to the revival of Scottsdale Mechanics Hall, and the success of that revival speaks for itself. She is widely recognised as the driving force behind the buildings rescue from near dereliction to which she led the project to bring it to the beauty that we can now see it is today. The Hall has constant bookings and Ally still serves on the committee to this day, always happy to assist with events and see that the hall is widely used for a variety of purposes.
The North-Eastern Arts and Crafts Festival was on the verge of folding a few years ago and as the principal organiser, Ally helped to preserve this event to ensure it reached it’s 50th birthday in 2025.
Ally is the creator and sole producer of HUMANS OF DORSET, a social media project that documents the stories of notable local residents in their own words. Many of you may have read these stories on Facebook, and with more than 3000 followers, the page has become an important archive of personal histories in Dorset. Ally undertakes these interviews with great respect, preserving the voices and experiences of the community with dedication and care.
In 2025, Ally was asked to if she would take on the role of presidency of the Scottsdale RSL Sub-branch, to which she agreed and has been able to bring strong leadership, governance and a renewed energy to the role.
Ally has been involved with the Scottsdale Tennis Club for over 20 years and whilst she has held various positions on the committee during this time, she is currently the president.
Ally is widely regarded as one of Dorset’s “go to” people as someone that steps in, solves problems and gets things done in times of need.
As mentioned by a nominator “Beyond her formal roles, Ally provides ongoing, often quiet and unrecognised support to individuals and groups throughout the community” and as mentioned by a referee, “Ally is a tireless worker, and has skills in so many areas I honestly do not know what we would do without her”.
2026 Community Event of the Year | Scottsdale High School Production 'Mumma Mia'
Scottsdale High School has a long-standing tradition of staging outstanding productions bi-annually, and this years production of Mamma Mia was a fabulous week consisting of 5 shows over 4 days. It showcased the incredible talent of students from year 7 to 10 within Dorset and the dedication, effort and organisation that went into this production by staff, volunteers, students and their families was truly astonishing.
With months of planning and practice resulting in spectacular performances that not only brought the Dorset Community together and provided great entertainment for all that were lucky enough to attend, it also gave the students a chance to step out of their comfort zone and form new friendships doing something they may not otherwise have had a chance to do and as mentioned by the nominator, “Their performance has undoubtedly enriched our local community”.
As stated by one of the feeder schools for Scottsdale High School, “The production of Mamma Mia not only showcased the remarkable talents within our community but also fostered a sense of unity and pride”.
One of the referees proudly wrote “We found it so wonderful that we returned to watch it a number of times” and another saying “Mamma Mia has done more than just entertain; it has provided a platform for the children to grow, connect and thrive”.
2026 Certificate of Appreciation
All nominees for Australia Day Awards are considered for a Certificate of Appreciation. Certificates of Appreciation celebrate the rich diversity of our vibrant community. They are awarded to recognise individuals and groups who continuously strive to make our community a better place for those who live, work and visit our special part of the world.
Leonie Johnston
Leonie has been actively contributing to the Dorset community for well over a decade, consistently volunteering her time and expertise to numerous organisations and events. Some of these include the Bridport Scallop Festival, Seaview Retirement Village, CWA Bridport, Bridport Surf Life Saving Club, Bridport Lions Club and the Bridport Pier Committee. As stated by the nominator, “Leonie exemplifies community spirit and leadership through her tireless dedication to Bridport and the wider Dorset community” and as mentioned by a referee “this lady is a powerhouse of energy and enthusiasm”.
Vivien Sarich
Vivien, known to most as Viv, has been a volunteer at Girl Guides on a weekly basis for over 7 years and continues to add more qualifications to her name to enable her leadership of the youth. She is a very dedicated hard worker for the Bridport CWA and volunteer at the Bridport Primary School assisting with hot lunches and holding stalls to raise funds for the school. As stated by the nominator, “Viv never minds what she is asked to do, whether that is cleaning, fundraising, teaching girls to cook or develop their love of handcrafts” and as mentioned by a referee “Viv’s contribution extends far beyond the tasks she completes. Her kindness, reliability and genuine care for others reflect the true spirit of community service”.
Kevin Coates
Kevin has been serving on committees and volunteering to numerous organisations in Dorset over many years including Branxholm Football Club, Scottsdale RSL, Scottsdale RSL Military Museum and Red Dirt Café. Kevin donates his time generously at working bees, meetings and as a regular volunteer to not only those committees he serves on but anyone needing a helping hand. As stated by the nominator, “Kevin is one of Dorset’s true gentlemen, always there to lend a hand or give some advice”, and as mentioned by a referee, “His dedication to his work is exceptional – so much so that we often joked he may as well have a bed in the office due to how frequent he is here and that reflects his reliability, work ethic and willingness to give his time”.
Nigel and Ally Mercer
Nigel and Ally were acknowledged as “dual” recipients of this award for their volunteering and community support and their teamwork and contributions that they have jointly made to the Dorset community through groups such as the Dorset History Society, Scottsdale Tennis Club and Scottsdale RSL. As stated by the nominator, “they are leaders in their field, co-operating with others to bring the best outcomes for the tasks at hand” and as mentioned by a referee, “they have demonstrated the ability to acquire the needs of community groups, fashion and stimulate the overall topic at hand”.
Branxholm Hotel
The Branxholm Hotel received recognition for two events held in 2025 - being the Big Boys Ride, and the Branxholm Chopping Carnival. Seeing a total of 200+ participants, these events brought visitors to Branxholm and the greater Dorset area. As stated by a nominator, “running these big events helps support our north east business and keeping our local people employed when our tourism is declining."
Rotary Club of Scottsdale
The Rotary Club of Scottsdale received recognition for the 2025 Rail Trail Run and Ride Event. At the event over 250 competitors entered had numerous categories to choose from, at varying distances. As stated by a nominator, “a study done after the event showed that local business benefited immensely from the visitors to Dorset, who in turn went away with much to tell about our trails and the welcome they had received whilst here."
Friends of St Paul's Springfield
Friends of St Paul's Springfield received recognition for the 2025 PlantFest Event. The popular event held in October each year, provides a space for stall holders and the community to wander the grounds of St Paul's while perusing the wares on offer, from rare and exotic plants to unique artisan work. As stated by a nominator, “PlantFest gives our community the opportunity to get together in a family friendly atmosphere and in picturesque surroundings."
Branxholm Events
The Branxholm Events Committee received recognition for the 2025 Branxholm Old Time Barn Dance Event. This inaugural event brought the community together in September 2025 with all referees stating that the hall was beautifully decorated, the homemade supper delicious and the music fantastic. As stated by a nominator, “It was great to see so many people out and about connecting with each other and having fun, something our small little towns often forget to do nowadays."
Spud Fest
The 2025 Spud Fest event received recognition for inaugural event held in early 2025. Welcoming over 800 attendees, Northeast Park was transformed into a showcase of potatoes from local farmers to businesses able to share their knowledge and stories. As stated by a nominator, “The event showed great support for the local potato farmers, bringing attention to the importance of, and the pride we have in our local agricultural industry."
Young Citizen of the Year
Unfortunately, there were no nominations for this award in 2026.
The selection criteria for the Dorset Young Citizen of the Year include being a young person aged 30 or younger, having positive and inspiring personal attributes showing qualities such as versatility, flexibility and perseverance in service to the community, and for personal effort and initiative to have made a significant difference to the quality of life of the community.