pride of australia™ medal

Morgan Wise, Andrew Demetriou and Tiernan Anderson

Acting on impulse and without regard to their own safety, Morgan, Andrew and Tiernan jumped into a dangerously swollen creek to try and rescue a young boy tangled in a rope. After several unsuccessful attempts, they managed to cut the rope, pull the boy out of the creek and begin CPR. They managed to get a pulse but unfortunately lost it again before being relieved by police and paramedics.

Kevin Smith

Kevin has been a volunteer since 1967, beginning with St Johns Ambulance in Sydney. In 1996, Kevin joined the Northern Territory Emergency Service and remains an active volunteer to this day. He has been involved in various operations including search and rescue, flood boat rescue, flood clean up and also cyclone clean ups with Tropical Cyclone’s Rachel, Thelma, Les, Ingrid and Helen.

Craig Hansen

Craig was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2008. On December 6, while heading out on patrol the vehicle he was travelling in ran over an IED which exploded. Out of the 9 people in the vehicle, Craig’s injuries were the worst. He suffered an open fracture of the right arm, a shattered right ankle and heel bone and his left heel sustained 15 breaks as well. Once back in Australia, Craig underwent many operations and continues to go through intense physiotherapy. Despite his injuries, Craig still sees a future with the Australian Army and his hard work, determination and strength of character will make this a possibility.

Christine Bond

Christine Bond has spent the last four years working tirelessly to improve the conditions of animals in remote communities. By focusing on de-sexing, worming and treating infections in the animals, the communities themselves are now experiencing less illness amongst the children. Through her commitment and hard work, a number of veterinary organisations have now developed programs to tackle these issues in remote communities throughout the Northern Territory.

Lyndymarie Aquilladequilettes

Lyndy is a volunteer with the Edith Farms Volunteer Bushfire Brigade, is actively involved with the organising of the Katherine Country Music Muster each year and has been a foster carer to many children for over 50 years. She spends countless hours fundraising for various community events, such as the Muster Big Brekky and the Bushfire Brigades Christmas Party. Lyndy is a lady of compassion, and stands by the motto “You can drive people and force them to follow you or you can lovingly lead people and cause them to want to follow you”.

Mavis Swindells

Mavis is 98 years old and spends her days knitting dolls and trauma teddies that are donated to the Red Cross. These dolls are mainly given to children in hospital but have also been sent to the Victorian Bushfire victims, indigenous communities and also to Iraq. Originally born in New Zealand, Mavis moved to Australia at a young age and has achieved many great things. She was a professional tennis player, an A grade golf player and also a member of the CWA in NSW. For many years Mavis also cared for her husband before he passed away but continued knitting through out these years.

Renez Lammon

Renez completed her teaching degree at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education in 2005. She then took a position at Casuarina Street Primary School in Katherine teaching a combined year 5/6 class. Not only does Renez encourage her students academically but also in many extra-curricular activities such as sports and has travelled to Darwin on a number of occasions with her students for various carnivals. Renez is well liked by colleagues and students, both past and present. She is seen as a role model to many and is often stopped in the street by students and their parents.

Douglas Kinter

Doug’s wife Julie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1982 and since that time he has been her fulltime carer. Doug ensures Julie gets to all her medical appointments as well as performing all the day to day duties required to care for her. Doug’s daughter, Chelsea, also suffers from Cerebral Palsy, and although she is in fulltime care, Doug ensures that Chelsea can come home on weekends and special occasions and spends as much time with her as he can. Despite all of the activities, Doug still holds a full time position at Henbury School as a Special Needs teaching assistant.

Felicity Wardle

Felicity first began community work at the age of 5, helping with Darwin Duke Street Rain Forest and participating in Clean Up Australia Day. Since then she has continued volunteering with the Red Cross and Landcare as well as helping raise funds for Victorian Fire Relief Appeal. Recently Felicity was made Chairman of the 2009 Round Youth Table and is heavily involved in organising the Human Rights Awards on behalf of the Darwin Community Legal Service.

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