ST ARNAUD - Former mayor, Ray Hewitt has been posthumously honoured with St Arnaud's Citizen of the Year award as part of Northern Grampians Shire Council's Australia Day celebrations.
Ray made a lasting contribution to St Arnaud and the wider Northern Grampians Shire before sadly passing away in October last year.
He completed a term as Northern Grampians Shire Council Mayor and served on Council for seven years.
Ray was also president of the Sunraysia Highway Committee and the Stuart Mill Water Board.
He served as vice president of the the St Arnaud Community Action Network (SCAN) and was a member of the St Arnaud Recreation Board of Management.
Ray was a past president of the Stuart Mill Progress Association and retiring Captain of the Stuart Mill Fire Brigade.
He was a member of both the North Central Vintage Car Club and Stuart Mill Hall Racecourse and Reserve Committee.
Ray was a person with a great vision for the shire and his home town of Stuart Mill.
He was also relentless in lobbying for a better deal for local farmers, businesses and families.
Pomonal's Bill Rouse has received an Australian Fire Service Medal as part of the national Australia Day awards.
The medal recognises distinguished service by members of Australian fire services.
Mr Rouse was a career firefighter with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade for 23 years and has been a volunteer firefighter with Pomonal Fire Brigade since 2006.