Community celebrated at the 2026 Buloke Awards

News and Consultation

Employment

What's On In Buloke

Governance

Publications

Rates

Local Laws

Australia Day Awards

Renewable Energy Projects

Libraries

Waste and Recycling

A Small Act Makes A Big Impact

Planning & Building

Buloke Customer Experience Charter

Environment

Planning Applications on Exhibition

Public Health

Emergency Management

New Pool Regulations

Roads, Drains and Footpaths

Parks and Urban Maintenance

Buloke Shire

Community Safety

Youth Services

Animals

Community Plans

Community and Sustainability Grants

Accessible Parking Permit Scheme

Children's Services

LGBTIQ Community Resources

Community Sexual and Reproductive Health

Business and Volunteer Resources

Community Transport

Aged and Disability Services

New Residents Information

Starting Your Business

Economic Development

Tenders

Footpath Trading

Food Registration

Health and Prescribed Accommodation Registration

Halls and Venues for Hire

Recreation Reserves

Swimming Pools

You are here:

News and Consultation

Community celebrated at the 2026 Buloke Awards

Community celebrated at the 2026 Buloke Awards

Community Celebrated At 2026 Buloke Awards

Publish date: 23 January 2026

Buloke Shire Council announced the winners of the 2026 Buloke Awards on Thursday night at Charlton Park, celebrating local people and events that make a positive difference across the Shire.

With over 100 people attending, the night included an Australian Citizenship Ceremony, where new citizens were warmly welcomed and celebrated as valued members of the Buloke community.

"It was a privilege to present these awards to remarkable local individuals and organisations, recognising the invaluable contributions they make to our community," Mayor Milne said.

"Our congratulations go to all the 2026 award recipients and nominees. Their tremendous efforts truly embody the generous, caring spirit of the Buloke Shire - we thank you for everything you do."

Council was also honoured to welcome Associate Professor Monique Watts as the guest speaker on the night. A proud Charlton local, Associate Professor Watts is now a cardiologist and the founding Clinical Lead of Australia's first multidisciplinary Women's Heart Clinic. Her speech reflected on local beginnings, perseverance and giving back to community.

2026 Buloke Award Winners:

Community Event of the Year 2026 - 100th Anniversary of Auchmore Home

The Community Event of the Year Award was presented to the Nullawil Historical Society and Nullawil Heritage Centre for their organisation of the 100th Anniversary of Auchmore Home. Held in August, the event brought together locals and visitors to celebrate Nullawil's history, volunteer effort and strong community spirit.

Above:

Members of the

Nullawil Historical Society and Nullawil Heritage Centre event team.

Young Citizen of the Year 2026 - Fletcher Holmes-Brown

Fletcher Holmes-Brown was named Young Citizen of the Year in recognition of his extensive youth leadership and volunteering across Buloke. Through his involvement in multiple community, arts and youth organisations, Fletcher continues to amplify young voices and support inclusive participation.

Above: Jenny Newell (left) and Fletcher Holmes-Brown.

Citizen of the Year 2026 - Jenny Newell

Jenny Newell was awarded Citizen of the Year for her decades of dedicated service to Sea Lake and the wider Buloke community. Through strong leadership, advocacy and community development, Jenny has played a key role in projects that support tourism, safety, infrastructure and community wellbeing.

Buloke Shire Council congratulates all 2026 Buloke Award recipients and thanks them for their ongoing contribution to community life across the Shire.

End release

For further information contact 1300 520 520 or media@buloke.vic.gov.au

Send us your feedback

Your Name

*

- required

Your Email

*

- required

Your Feedback

*

- required

Mandatory field(s) marked with *

IN THIS SECTION

News and Consultation

Community Update

Community celebrated at the 2026 Buloke Awards

Service changes for Friday, 9 January 2026 - Forecasted High Risk Weather

2025/2026 Council Holiday Service Arrrangements

Charlton Shire Hall meeting held with Council

Wimmera Southern Mallee Alliance - Advocating For Regional Needs

Nature-led Community Recovery Grants North Central CMA

Mayor: Enough Delays On Flood Recovery Funding

Help Shape What's Next For Sea Lake Recreation

Buloke's Recreational Jewels Sustained

Buloke Council Announces CEO Transition

Baby and Child First Aid - The Sisterhood Project

New Signs Culgoa's Character Is Shining

Buloke Council Responds To Unexpected REZ Expansion

Sea Lake Kiosk Insights Show Off-Peak Visitor Boost

Council Reopens Facebook Comments - Let's Keep It Constructive

Next Steps For Sea Lake's Visitor Experience

Rethinking Bank Agency Withdrawal

Notice of the preparation of an amendment to a planning scheme - Amendment C44blok

2024 Community Satisfaction Survey Results Released

Council Moves Motion To Seek Improved Transparency

Temporary Charlton Hall Closure Explained

Birchip Recreation Reserve Master Plan

Expression of Interest - Buloke Community Reference Group

Buloke Shire Council CEO Wayne O'Toole Resigns

Council Meets With Transmission Company Victoria Regarding VNI West

Tiny Towns Funding for Nandaly

Buloke Shire Council opposes VNI West in current form

Media Reports on VNI West and Buloke Shire Council

Lasting impressions created with art

Visions to Tram-sform Donald's Railway Precinct

Stronger Together - Culgoa turns challenge into strength

Online Launchpad Workshops stimulate local business ideas

Group of Five

Inspired by the Loom

"Visions of Tomorrow" exhibition in Wycheproof

Esoteric Festival does not have required approvals

Permit for Esoteric Festival 2025

Library Services Review 2025

Biodiversity Trail Complete

Celebrating Community Excellence at the Australia Day Buloke Awards

Unbreakable Farmer

All Ideas Aboard Donald's Transformation

Visions of Tomorrow

Unbreakable Wheel Initiative Rolls Out In Buloke to Support Mental Wellbeing

Carving A Moment For Ourselves

Tackling The Tough Topics

Visions of Tomorrow - Wycheproof

All Ideas Aboard: Donald's Tramsformation

Mayor Shares Festive Spirit

2024/2025 Council Holiday Service Arrrangements

Expand Your Impact - Kick Start Your Idea

Buloke Strengthens Emergency Preparedness

Creative Kids' Wellbeing Book Brings Community Together

The Paddock Run Is Back

The Paddock Run Returns

Cr Alan Getley Re-elected as Mayor, New Faces Join Buloke Council

Exchange Of Land By The Buloke Shire Council

Notice of Council Meeting 2024

The Unbreakable Farmer Comes To Buloke

Nominate Now for Australia Day Awards

Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey highlights recreation and roads

Game on: Recovery Meeting Gaming In Sea Lake

Kicking Goals: Buloke Progressing Towards Equality in Grassroots Sports

High Rise Real Estate In Buloke - Men's Shed Biodiversity Trail

Art Inspires At Culgoa

Ochre Painting at Birchip

Council appoints new Director Community Development

Standing for Council in Buloke Shire - Empowering Potential Leaders

Announcing Annual Budget 2024-25

Just A Farmer Screening

Notice of Additional Council Meeting 26 June 2024

Footpath Upgrades Within Buloke

Municipal Monitor Appointed at Buloke Shire Council

Notice of Additional Council Meeting

Focus on Ability™ Film Festival Lights Up Charlton's Rex Theatre

Practical Tips for Being Prepared

Local Leaders Join Buloke Executive Team

Celebrating Abilities Through Cinematic Art

Coping Strategies Through Storytelling

Clean Up Support For Storm Damaged Homes

Buloke Brews and Business Bytes

Probus Recovery Round-Up

Exciting News for Residents and Visitors to Buloke

Additional Council Meeting February 2024

Update: Cleaning up and Making Trees Safe After the Storm Event in Charlton 13 February 2024

Support for Storm Affected Towns Across Buloke

Buloke Men's Sheds Crafting Innovation and Well-being

Safer Together In Buloke Shire Council

Road Closure for Flood Repair - Yeungroon Road

Buloke Celebrates Australia Day Award Winners

Lawn Queen: Jodie's Winning Green

Community Recovery Information

Community Satisfaction Survey 2024

Additional Council Meeting December 2023

Maintaining Buloke's Road Networks

Buloke Busy Bees Colour And Connect

The Biggest Thank you

Buloke's BIG Summer Read

Get ready to read with Stig Wemyss

The First Time Parents Group, Charlton

Win Free Green Waste for a Year

Buy Buloke Is Back!

Container Deposit Scheme

Support Services to be Celebrated

The Paddock: The Goals

A Change is Coming for Charlton Early Years Centre

Elders Mount Wycheproof Cup Day

Buloke Flood Response Attracts Second Award

COVID Increase Across Victoria

Temporary Service Interruption

October 2023 Council Meeting Wrap

Free Green Waste Month October 2023

Direl (Lake Tyrrell) - Application for Protection

Council Does Care - Listen Talk Respect

For Our Betterment

August 2023 Council Meeting Wrap

New Early Years Manager Sought for Charlton

Disability Pride Month Event July 2023

Additional Council Meeting August 2023

July 2023 Council Meeting Wrap

Tchum Lake Upgrade to Commence

June 2023 Council Meeting Wrap

Buloke Shire Regional Transfer of Regional Assessment Service

Additional Council Meeting June 2023

Childcare Centre in Charlton Faces Challenges in Providing Services

Buloke Calls For Better Lines Of Consultations on VNI West Project

Draft Annual Budget 2023-24

Buloke Makes Final Decision on Aged Care Services

Easter Operating Hours 2023

Vote for the Paddock Run

Emu Working Group Hatched

Mount Wycheproof Emu Management Working Group

Council Makes In-principle Decision on Aged Care Services

Community Satisfaction Survey 2023

February Meeting Wrap 2023

Notice of Additional Meeting

Cybersafety Week 2023

Australia Day Eve 2023 - Distinguished Through Service - Auloke Australia Day Award Winners

Buloke Welcomes 10 New Australian Citizens

Australia Day Eve

Submissions Open for Electoral Structure Review of Buloke Shire Council

The Paddock Run

Buloke Drawing and Colouring Book 2022

Two Outstanding Educators Who've Shaped A Community

Priority Roadworks On Track in Buloke

Phone service interruption

Prioritising Community Needs Re-opening Buloke's Closed Roads

Manicure Your Lawn or Tackle The Jungle In Your Yard To Win

Cr Alan Getley elected Mayor of Buloke

A Thank You To Buloke - Mayor

Buloke's Flood Damaged Roads Assessment Underway

Hogan Elected in Mallee Ward

October Meeting Wrap 2022

VICSES Community Information Session - Donald and Charlton Update

VICSES Community Information Session - Wycheproof and Culgoa Update

Charlton Flood Evacuation Information

September Meeting Wrap 2022

Key Change at Buloke

Emergency Management Preparedness - Plan And Stay Safe

Expand Your Impact

What are you going to do when you leave school?

Lifeguard Shortage, Summer Is Just Around The Corner - We Need You!

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Alert

Buloke Shire By-election

Internal IT System Upgrade

August Meeting Wrap 2022

Condolence Message - Passing of Northern Grampians Shire Mayor

Buloke Benefits From Small Towns Big Difference Grants Program

Celebrating The Small Towns Big Difference Grants Program - The Grant Recipients

2022 Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey

July Meeting Wrap 2022

INVEST Loddon Mallee Initiative

Annual Budget Headlines Key Adoptions at Additional June Council Meeting

Buloke Celebrates NAIDOC week

Birchip Park and Civic Precinct Master Plan

Cr David Vis Resigns

Buloke Stands with BGLC on Racism

Buloke Seniors Festival Hits A High Note

NBN Connection Boost for Sea Lake

June Meeting Wrap 2022

Community Forum Summit

May Meeting Wrap 2022

Buloke Adopts Draft Annual Budget 2022/2023

April Meeting Wrap 2022

Small Towns Big Difference Grants Program

Culgoa Unveils Commemorative Board honouring WW1 Servicepersons

March Meeting Wrap 2022

February Meeting Wrap 2022

O'Toole Appointed CEO

Buloke Celebrates Australia Day Winners 2022

Buloke Welcomes Newest Citizens in Australian Citizenship Ceremony 2022

December Meeting Wrap 2021

Charlton Streetscape Project

Internet Of Things Trial

November Meeting Wrap 2021

Warren Returned as Mayor

Small Towns Big Difference Launches in Buloke

Local Exposure Site Listed

October Meeting Wrap 2021

Funding for Wycheproof Saleyards Announced

Advantage Sea Lake

O'Toole Appointed Interim CEO

Mayors Thank Residents for Taking Part in Vaccination Challenge

Vale Eddie Lee

It's Time To Celebrate

Birchip Planning Project Update

Hardship Policy Is There If You Need

Sea Lake Streetscape Project

September Meeting Wrap 2021

Buloke, Borough Mayors Launch Vaccination Challenge

CEO Judd Calls Time at Buloke

Buloke Makes Key Appointment

Birchip Safer Cumming Avenue Streetscape Works

Working for Victoria Wraps Up

August Meeting Wrap 2021

Dedicated Support for Buloke Businesses

Birchip Planning Project Commences

Results Are In

July Meeting Wrap 2021

Opening Round For Birchip-Watchem Bulls

Playspaces Trail Funded

Buloke Maps Financial Future

Buloke's Vision and Plan

June Meeting Wrap 2021

It's All Happening In Wycheproof

Building A Better Buloke Together

Draft Annual Budget Adopted

May Meeting Wrap 2021

Victorian Energy Collaboration

Down By The River

Buloke Teams Up With VicHealth To Drive Health Change

Council Meetings Reopen To The Public

April Meeting Wrap 2021

Buloke Bounce Back Activates

Buloke Bounce Back

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy and Plan

We're Listening

March Meeting Wrap 2021

Wycheproof Early Learning Centre Officially Opens

February Meeting Wrap 2021

Get Involved in the MEMPC

Wycheproof Early Learning Centre Completed

Buloke Celebrates Australia Day Winners

2021 Australia Day Celebrations

Celebrate Australia Day 2021

Making A Splash

Come and See Lake Tyrrell

Step Up To Summer Activity

Brightening Broadway Picks Up Pace

Buy Buloke-Start The Conversation

It's Cumming Along

December Meeting Wrap

Nullawil To Host Australia Day Eve Event

Draft Revised Governance Rules

Warren Mayor in Buloke

Draft Community Engagement Policy

Notification of Annual Report

Buloke Supports 16 Days of Activism

Heading Back to the Shed

Buloke Councillors Take Oath

Buloke Shire Council Election Results

Regional Connectivity Progam Survey

Vale John Colbert

Working For Victoria Boosts Buloke

Buloke Streetscape Renewal Begins

Notice of Council Meeting

Safer Cumming Avenue Works Begin

October Meeting Wrap 2020

Safer Outcomes for Berriwillock-Birchip Road

Your Council, Your Vote

Vale Oliver Guthrie

Spring Into Managing Waste

September Meeting Wrap 2020

EV Chargers for Regional Victoria

Buy Buloke Site Launched

Celebrating Buloke

Funding Keeps Buloke Engaged

Lighting Up Buloke Sporting Hubs

Progress on Charlton Beautification

August Meeting Wrap 2020

Walks and Wetlands for Wycheproof

Great Court Coverage

State Funding Request to Fix Region's Narrow Roads

Buloke Gets Working for Victoria

July Meeting Wrap 2020

Buloke Budget Adopted

EDATAC Update

Survey Says, Satisfaction Growing

June Meeting Wrap 2020

State Initiative to Get Buloke Working

Draft Governance Rules 2020

Streets of Your Town

Proposed Budget Open for Submission

Broadway Showstopper

May Meeting Wrap

On the Roads Again

April Meeting Wrap 2020

Buloke Playspaces Project

Lake Tyrrell Closed

March Meeting Wrap 2020

Economic Development and Tourism Committee Have 2020 Vision

Wycheproof Early Years Funded

February Meeting Wrap 2020

Stewart Named on Advisory Panel

Australia Day Award Winners

Load Limit Reduction

Community Satisfaction Survey

Livestock Owner Preparation for High-Risk Fire Days

Let's Celebrate

Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee Vacancy

December Meeting Wrap

Taking Stock of Library Service

November Meeting Wrap

Code Red Day Thursday 21 November 2019

Rural Land Use and Settlement Strategy

Wycheproof Amenity Upgrade

Stewart Returned As Mayor

Contributions Celebrated

Buloke Repays Loan

Charlton Levee Bank Community Consultation

Open For Business

Three Walls Set To Go

Sea Lake Kinder Funding Announced

Birchip Oval Upgrade Fully Funded

New Silo Art Stop Turns Heads

Tapping in to Apex Park

Notice of Statutory Meeting

Come In, We Are Open

October Meeting Wrap

Public Art is Coming to Charlton

Notice of Special Meeting

Sea Lake Silo Art

Cr Simpson Sworn In

Simpson Councillor Elect

Buloke Countback Conducted

Green Lake Amenities Block Replacement

September Meeting Wrap

Recycling Update

Bridging the Gap

Better Get Ready

August Meeting Wrap

Cr Shaw Resigns

Workforce Development and Training Needs in Buloke

Sea Lake Hotel Update

Council Supports RFA Save Our Tracks Campaign

Rise of Satisfaction Continues

July Meeting Wrap

Transformation Fund Success for Buloke

Charlton Levee Update

New Local Law Takes Effect

Funds Available to Encourage Older People to Keep Moving

Birchip Flood Restoration Program Update

Defining Budget Adopted

June Meeting Wrap

Draft Annual Budget 2019/20

Vale Ron Summerhayes

A Better Way is Coming

Drought Applications Finalised

Further Funding for Key Roads

May Meeting Wrap

Have Your Say on Draft Annual Budget

Boost for Cumming Avenue

April Meeting Wrap

Draft Revenue and Rating Strategy and Draft Rating policy

Notice of Making of a Local Law

Draft Meetings Procedure and Common Seal Local Law 2018

Construction of the Camp Street Temporary Levee

Our Region Our Rivers Now Our Reality

Economic Development and Tourism in the Spotlight

March Meeting Wrap

Drought Funding Flows

National Relay Service

Stories of the Flood 2010 - 2011

News Archive

Donald Streetscape Project

Brightening Broadway Project

Crisis Service Information 2023-24

Rural Living Survey

Buloke Shire Draft Council Plan, Annual Budget and Rates and Revenue Strategy on Public Exhibition

Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund

Employment

What's On In Buloke

Governance

Publications

Rates

Local Laws

Australia Day Awards

Renewable Energy Projects

PRIVACY

DISCLAIMER AND COPYRIGHT

ACCESSIBILITY

SITEMAP

A-Z INDEX

Copyright (c) 2015 Buloke Shire Council

Visit us

367 Broadway, Wycheproof VIC 3527

Email us

buloke@buloke.vic.gov.au

Talk to us

1300 520 520