Aunty Dot and Uncle Hewitt Whyman were among community champions celebrated at the 2025 Australia Day Awards Ceremony held at the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre on Saturday 25 January.
The Whymans were announced as Walk of Honour nominations, along with much-loved local educator Zita Denholm.
Uncle Hewitt and Aunty Dot have been a "dynamic duo" in Wagga Wagga and the Riverina's First Nations community, contributing significantly to local cultural, community development and sporting activities, the City of Wagga Wagga said.
Their "tireless" work helped establish a wide variety of services including Wiradjuri childcare services, Riverina Medical and Dental service, Local Aboriginal Legal Service, Wiradjuri Regional Land Council, and ATSIC Binaal Billa Regional Council.
A total of 13 nominations were received across five award categories: Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Environmental Citizen of the Year and the Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award, in addition to the Walk of Honour.
The City said the submissions were "carefully evaluated and assessed" by the 2025 Australia Day Community Committee with the finalists in each category announced during the ceremony, detailing "their outstanding contribution to our community".
Gregory 'Johno' Johnson was named 2025 Wagga Wagga Citizen of the Year. An inaugural member of the Wagga Wagga Relay for Life, serving on the committee for the event's 21-year history, 'Johno' drove cancer patients to appointments as part of the Cancer Council's Transport to Treatment program.
Haylee Burkinshaw was named 2025 Wagga Wagga Young Citizen of the Year.
David Dunn received the 2025 Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award.
And Leanne Scott was named 2025 Environmental Citizen of the Year.
