Moriarty Citizen Of The Year

Local community transport driver Stephen Moriarty was awarded as Cowra’s Citizen of The Year last Wednesday at Cowra’s official Australia Day ceremony last Wednesday.

The citizenship and awards ceremony was held at the Cowra Civic Centre on Australia Day morning, and was on display to the whole world, being broadcast live across the internet by a film production company on YouTube and social media.

Celebrity TV travel presenter Catriona Rowntree was Cowra’s Australia Day Ambassador, and hosted the live broadcast as well as presenting the awards, in front of around 150 guests at the Civic Centre.

Mr Moriarty was nominated for his award for his outstanding contribution to the Cowra community in his work with Cowra Community Transport, which he has been doing for 17 years.

According to his award profile, he has clocked up hundreds of hours driving people to hospital, medical appointments, and airports, and has assisted people that need to be driven both locally and throughout NSW.

He is loved by clients for his infectious personality, humour and his great knowledge on a number of subjects. Upon receiving his award, Mr Moriarty said he was shocked, and joked that he was happy to receive a positive letter from Council.

“Letters from Council are normally a bill or a notice,” he said tongue-in-cheek. “I’m very pleased to accept this award.” Mr Moriarty lost one of his legs in a car accident earlier in his life, but has still found ways to get on with work and life. He joked about one memorable trip he had to Orange, transporting a client to the Dudley Private Hospital.

“She said ‘they could have sent someone who could carry my bags’,” he said light heartedly, while also referencing a time he drove three ladies to Canberra Airport with a combined age of 297 years.

Other award winners on the day included Young Citizen of the Year Mikelli Garratt, Community Group of the Year the Cowra Eisteddfod, and the Dr Warren Whiley Memorial Award Jennifer Thompson.

New Australian citizenship recipients included Nikita and Kaedie Beatty, Dolly Garcia, LiYa Ma, Muhammed Shaji, the Singh family, and Kevin and Wendy Waetford.

IMAGE: All of Cowra’s newest Australian citizens, who were awarded with their citizenship on Australia Day.

IMAGE: Cowra Eisteddfod President Many Charnock with Secretary Richard Neate and Cowra Mayor Bill West.

IMAGE: Catriona Rowntree with some of Cowra’s primary school literature award winners.

IMAGE: Catriona Rowntree with Mikelli Garratt and Emily Beath-Pearce.

• Topics:
• Australia Day
• Awards