Nurse and perennial volunteer named Coleambally Citizen of the Year 2025

A 61-year-old woman who has worked as a nurse and volunteered in schools, aged care facilities and sporting clubs for 40 years without fanfare was named Coleambally Citizen of the Year 2025 at the annual Australia Day awards.

Monica Whelan helped establish the local preschool, coordinated the Coleambally Football Netball Club canteen, served on the board of aged care facility Cypress View Lodge and was the driving force behind a new community garden in town.

“I grew up in a family where both my parents did a lot of volunteer work,” she said.

“As you become part of the community using the services, you need to give back. You get so much more than you give – with the people you’re working with, outcomes for the community and the knowledge you’re doing something good.”

She did not expect her recognition.

“I was quite surprised, mainly because I tend to try and work in the background. I just go quietly about my business. I was surprised to be nominated and even more surprised to get the award,” she said.

In addition to all her volunteering, Ms Whelan is also a passionate advocate for rural health care and has fought to keep services in her town. She believes the nursing shortage needs to be addressed urgently.

“It’s ridiculous. People need to know we desperately need to have more nurses. They need to do something about the wages in NSW. If you live in Albury, you’ll move to Wodonga, where you can earn $10,000 more for the same job,” she said.

“They also need to learn to treat staff with respect and have managers who are advocates. There’s a lot of people coming up to retirement who are my age who feel invisible and that nobody cares.”

She also has concerns for the future of Cypress View Lodge and hopes there will be more federal government support in the future to keep it operating.

“It’s a great facility to have in our town; the staff treat residents so beautifully. We don’t do it for the money; we are there to keep our elderly residents in our community.

“But there’s a lot of challenges for all rural aged care facilities to balance meeting all the standards required, staying viable and accessing qualified staff.”

Ms Whelan would like to see more younger people take up volunteering.

“We’ve got a few younger people helping out, but when I say younger, I mean people in their 50s and 60s,” she said.

Australia Day award celebrations were held across the Murrumbidgee Council area, with separate events held in Coleambally, Darlington Point and Jerilderie.

Murrumbidgee Council Mayor Ruth McRae OAM said she was pleased to attend each ceremony and reflected on the exceptional efforts of the award recipients and the strong sense of community spirit.

“It’s a privilege to join with the community to celebrate the incredible people and community groups who go above and beyond to improve the lives of those around them,” she said.

2025 AUSTRALIA DAY AWARD RECIPIENTS FOR MURRUMBIDGEE COUNCIL

Coleambally

Citizen of the Year: Monica Whelan
Lifetime Achievement Award: Leslie Robinson
Junior Citizen of the Year: Regan Cullen
Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Carolyne Rutledge
Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Jessie Pound
Sub-junior Sportsperson of the Year: Haddie Groves
Sporting Team of the Year: Darlington Point/Coleambally Rugby League Football Club 1st grade team
Cultural Award of the Year: St Peter’s Primary School Musical Production
Event of the Year: Darlington Point/Coleambally Rugby League Football Club 50-year
reunion.

Darlington Point

Citizen of the Year: Shaun Roche
Young Citizen of the Year: Isabella Feltham
Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Mia Honeyman
Sporting Team of the Year: Darlington Point/Coleambally Rugby League Football Club 1st grade team
Event/Group Achievement of the Year: Darlington Point Public School P&C.

Jerilderie

Citizen of the Year: Tania Roe
Sportsperson of the Year: Craig Knight
Little Aussie Awards: Lexie Bryce, St Joseph’s Primary School and Hamza Swaid, Jerilderie Public School.