Australia Day Awards 2024 - Rob Neill is Hay’s top citizen
2024 Citizen of the Year - Mr Rob Neill. Image: The Riverine Grazier / Margie McClelland.
By Tertia Butcher
Hay sports nut, Rob Neill, has dedicated most of his adult life to assisting the Hay community.
On Australia Day, Rob was rewarded for his hard work and dedication when he was announced Citizen of the Year.
Before the establishment of Hay Cutters Rugby Union Club in 1991, Rob and his late wife Gwenda were amazing contributors to the Magpies Rugby League Club. Gwenda was one of the first female administrators in Country Rugby League when she was elected Club Secretary in the mid-70s. Rob, at the time, was the Magpies team manager and Vice President. Rob was the bloke who was always there at training sessions. He was the bloke who maintained training and attendance records, made sure the water bottles were filled, footballs pumped up and the one percenter who make football clubs tick, carried out perfectly, and not overlooked.
Rob threw his lot in with the Hay Cutters in 1991. He has been an indispensable man ever since. He was at the meeting the night the club was established and has played a major part in its development into a well-known club in country New South Wales.
Rob has been an integral part of the club. He has been honoured for his work at the club with a life membership, and has been named ‘Clubman of the Year’ for the Cutters 20 times out of 31 years. Rob is known by fellow club members as the person who is always there to do the jobs everyone hates doing. He is the strapper before the game, marks out the lines on game day, drives the bus for away games and cleans the dressing sheds after the games.
Rob has the respect of everyone involved with not only the Cutters, but the whole of the Southern Inland Rugby Union competition and also the ACT Brumbies. Rob was selected as one of the five finalists for HSBC Rugby Union Lifetime volunteer and was runner-up when the winner was announced at the John Eales medal presentation night in Sydney.
The John Eales presentation night is the rugby union equivalent of the Allan Border medal in cricket, Dally M award for NRL, or the Brownlow medal night for AFL. It is a big deal!
The following evening, however, Rob’s dedication to the Cutters was acknowledged when at the ACT Brumby presentation night in Canberra, the Cutters Club stalwart was awarded the ACT and Southern New South Wales Volunteer of the Year Award. It was a fantastic recognition of his 32 years, unbroken service to the Cutters and rugby union in general.
It goes without saying that Rob does it all without seeking any limelight, or headlines. He does it because he loves it, and is pleased to offer a community service.
Apart from his outstanding service to the rugby codes, he is also a life member and an amazing worker for Hay Cricket Association. He is a coach and manager of junior teams, a bus driver, confidante to the kids and their parents, and incredible worker behind-the-scenes for senior cricketers, helping in wicket preparation and again doing those little jobs that others find hard to do. Rob has volunteered in the community for nearly 60 years.
In recent years he has also been a volunteer driver for Hay Community Transport where he is not only a safe and professional driver but his easy going and friendly, caring nature makes him popular with the clients.
Last weekend you would have seen Rob preparing the cricket wickets on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and during the football season you would see him providing the same level of commitment to the Hay Cutters.
Rob is a quiet, unassuming volunteer who goes about his work with little fuss or publicity. On Australia day it was fitting he was acknowledged for his tremendous dedication to the community of Hay with the Citizen of the Year Award.
2024 Australia Day in Hay
The spirit of Australia Day was alive and well in Hay when the community gathered for the traditional breakfast and awards ceremony.
Australian flags hung proudly beside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags on bunting draped around the quadrangle at the Gaol Museum where the Australia Day awards ceremony was held on Friday morning.
The Australian flag was raised by Paul Edwards while the National Anthem was led by Roree Moorhouse.
Guests included members of the Fijian community and a good representation of Hay’s indigenous community.
The Australian flag proudly emblazoned on aprons, T-shirts and headgear worn by many guests.
Sing Australia continued to support Australia Day in Hay and the Hay Ukulele group invited everyone to join them in singing I am Australian.
Hay continues to acknowledge and celebrate Australia Day, from the “warm Aussie welcome” by Mayor Carol Oataway to the words of Australia Day Ambassador Andy Paschalidis – “It IS a lucky country. I have worked around the world, and Australia is the best country”.
In Hay, we’re all part of the story.
Other 2024 award winners:
Leo Fitzpatrick-Dedini - Young Person of the Year
Pauline Symons - The Gavin Johnston Memorial Vocational Award
Leanne Congdon, Helen Rogers and Adrian Myers - Achievement Awards
OAMs awarded to Adrian Gorman and Ruth Sandow
Two people closely associated with Hay have been named in the Australia Day Honors List.
They are Adrian Gorman of Balranald and Ruth Sandow of Broken Hill and Booroorban.
Both received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to their community.
Photo gallery - Celebrations in Hay and Booligal
