2025 Community Recognition Awards presented
Published on 22 January 2025
The recipients of the City of Launceston's 2025 Community Recognition Awards were announced at a special ceremony at Town Hall this afternoon.
The annual awards recognise community members and event organisers who have made a significant contribution the Launceston municipality.
This year, awards were presented in four categories - the Citizen of the Year Award, the Event of the Year Award, the Sports Award and Youth Citizen of the Year.
Citizen of the Year Award
The Citizen of the Year Award was presented to David Dunn, who has more than 30 years of involvement in major events in Tasmania, including as chairman of the Festivale committee.
City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said Mr Dunn was a life member of Rural Youth Tasmania, and a previous chairman of Agfest.
"David has been a major contributor to Launceston and Northern Tasmanian thorough his volunteer work for the Festivale Committee, Rural Youth Tasmania and the board of the Launceston City of Gastronomy," Mayor Garwood said.
"He joined the Agfest committee in 1992 and held many positions with that event before becoming its chairman in 2006.
"His involvement as an Agfest committee member spanned 16 years and a further 12 years as a mentor to the younger members.
"David then joined the Launceston Festivale committee in 2008 and initially held the positions of Logistics Coordinator, Food & Beverage Coordinator. He has now been Chairman for the past six years. All this work has been voluntary and he puts in enormous hours along with his other committee members to organise this major Tasmanian attraction.
"David has been involved with Rural Youth Tasmania for 33 years and in 2012 he was awarded with a life membership to that organisation."
Event of the Year
The Event of the Year Award was presented to Launceston Parkrun, which has been running since November 2012.
This free weekly community event allows participants to walk, jog, run or spectate a 5km course. Mayor Garwood said Launceston Parkrun was entirely coordinated by volunteers.
"For an entirely volunteer coordinated event, this is an outstanding contribution to the health, wellbeing and community connection of the citizens of Launceston and Northern Tasmania," he said.
"It's a weekly event where everyone is equal. There is no cost to register, no cost to participate and no special clothing or equipment required. "I'm told the very first Launceston Parkrun event attracted 92 participants with eight volunteers organising and safeguarding. These days, they average more than 400 participants each week during summer, with nearly 20 volunteers each week.
"Our community loves Launceston Parkrun and what it offers. "Over the last 13 years there have been 587 Launceston Parkrun events, with more than 140,000 people crossing the finish line."
Sports Award
The City of Launceston Sports Award was presented to Rodney Eiszele, who has been a continuous playing member of the Mowbray Golf Club since 1962. Mayor Garwood said Mr Eiszele was a former A-grade player at Mowbray.
"Rodney was Tasmanian Junior Champion in 1969 and represented Tasmania in its junior squad tour to NSW in that year.
"He won the Mowbray Club Championship on three occasions: 1967, 1969 and 1972. He represented Mowbray many times in A-Grade Pennant matches and he also represented Northern Tasmania in Thyne Trophy intrastate matches.
"He was elevated to Life Membership of the Northern Tamanian Golf Association in 2014. Two years later, in 2016, he was made Life Member of the Mowbray Golf Club.
"These are highly prestigious awards, that are given rarely, for outstanding service over many years.
"Beyond the golf-playing level, Rodney has been a selector for the Northern Tasmanian Thyne Trophy team since 2010 and was Manager/Coach of the Tasmanian Junior Teams that toured interstate from 2009 to 2015.
"Rodney is also very well known throughout Northern Tasmania and further afield for his former column in The Examiner Newspaper, a weekly roundup that he wrote for 41 years from 1977.
"Rodney continues to volunteer with Mowbray Golf Club and remains a long-time and valued member of its 'Green Team."
Youth Citizen of the Year Award
The Youth Citizen of the Year Award will be presented to two winners, Nastaran Jafari and Jack Duncan.
Mayor Garwood said that while she was only 15 years old, Nastaran had already become an inspirational member of the Launceston community.
"Having migrated to Australia only five years ago, Nastaran has shown exceptional maturity, resilience, and initiative in embedding herself within her local community and contributing meaningfully to its development," Mayor Garwood said.
"Her positive attitude, willingness to help others, and ability to lead by example make her a deserving candidate for this recognition.
"Her contributions span a wide range of initiatives, including representation on the Launceston City Council Youth Advisory Group, volunteering with NGOs such as the Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania, and supporting newly arrived migrant students in her school."
Mayor Garwood said 17-year-old Jack Duncan's service to the Launceston community had also been commendable.
"Jack has been a community volunteer with St John's Ambulance at many Launceston events, and has been an advocate for Epilepsy Tasmania and the Waste Not, Want Not environmental sustainability program in Launceston.
"He received the Peter Falkland Youth Leader of the Year award in 2024 for volunteering and driving youth engagement."