The Palmerston Australia Day Awards are the highest civic recognition presented to individuals or groups who have made significant and lasting contributions to the Palmerston community. The awards acknowledge outstanding service, leadership and commitment across a range of areas that positively impact local residents assisting to make Palmerston “A Place for People”.

Each year nominees are selected across three categories:

  • Citizen of the Year
  • Young Citizen of the Year
  • Community Event or Group of the Year

View the 2026 Australia Day Award criteria and guidelines here. 

Nominations close Friday, 31 October 2025.

Nominate today

Need to complete your nomination offline? You can download the forms below:

• Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year
• Community Event or Group of the Year

What category are you nominating for?
1. Please provide the details of the person being nominated
2. I declare to the best of my knowledge; the person I am nominating is:
2. I declare to the best of my knowledge; the person I am nominating is:
2. I declare to the best of your knowledge; the organisation I am nominating is:
3. Please indicate which of the following areas the nominee has positively influenced in Palmerston
3. Which category does your nomination fall within?
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4. Is this nomination for an event?

If yes, please provide the below details

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9. Please provide your details as the nominator
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FAQ

Each year, members of the Palmerston community go above and beyond, volunteering their time, leading community initiatives, supporting local causes and striving for excellence in their personal and professional lives.

Palmerston Australia Day Awards provide an opportunity to formally recognise and celebrate these outstanding individuals and groups for their meaningful contributions over the past year.

Palmerston is proudly recognised as “A Place for People,” and these awards celebrate the commitment, service, and community spirit shown by our residents and organisations. Their contributions play a vital role in making Palmerston a welcoming, inclusive, and thriving place to live and work.

By submitting a nomination, you help acknowledge the valuable impact of these contributions and ensure that exceptional service to the community does not go unnoticed.

1. Palmerston Citizen of the Year
This award is for a Palmerston resident who has made valuable contributions during the past year and provided outstanding service to the community. 

2. Palmerston Young Citizen of the Year
This award is for an Australian citizen between the ages of 16 and 29, who has gone above and beyond to make a positive impact to their local community.

3. Palmerston Event or Group of the Year
This award recognises and encourages significant contributions to community life, promoting national pride and community responsibility within the Palmerston Municipality

To be eligible for the Citizen of the Year Award, nominees must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Be an Australian citizen
  2. Be aged over 30 years as of 26 January 2026
  3. Be a volunteer with no payment received for the work being recognised
  4. Be a resident of the City of Palmerston municipality
  5. Be nominated by someone else in the community (self-nominations are not accepted)
  6. Not a Member of Parliament or a recipient of Australian and imperial Honors

To be eligible for the Young Citizen of the Year Award, nominees must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Be an Australian citizen
  2. Be aged between 16 and 29 years as of 26 January 2026
  3. Be a volunteer with no payment received for the work being recognised
  4. Be nominated by someone else in the community (self-nominations are not accepted)
  5. Be a resident of the City of Palmerston municipality
  6. Not a Member of Parliament or a recipient of Australian and imperial Honors

To be eligible for the Community Event or Group of the Year Award, nominees must:

  1. Be a not-for-profit organisation, or
  2. Be a community group with four or more members
  3. Deliver activities or events within the City of Palmerston municipality

Anyone can submit a nomination for another individual or group to be recognised through the Citizen of the Year Awards. You cannot self-nominate. 

Nominations are open from 1 September 2025 to 31 October 2025.

Nominations must be submitted using the nomination form, either online or provided via hard copy.

All eligible nominations will be reviewed by a judging panel and assessed based on the following criteria:

Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year

  • Demonstrated positive impact on the Palmerston community
  • Active volunteer involvement in community initiatives
  • Strong leadership and ability to inspire others
  • Ongoing commitment to community development

Community Event or Group of the Year

  • Clear positive impact on the local community
  • Responsiveness to a demonstrated community need in Palmerston
  • Overall quality, planning, and success of the event, project, or activity

Each nomination must include a declaration confirming that:

  • The nominee is an Australian citizen.
  • The nominee is in the correct age range (Citizen and Young Citizen only)
  • The nominee is a volunteer, with no payment received for the work being recognised
  • The nominee is a resident of City of Palmerston.
  • The nominee is not self-nominating (Citizen and Young Citizen only)
  • If nominating an event, it was held within the City of Palmerston municipality.

Each nominee will be considered only once. Multiple submissions will not increase their chances of receiving an award.

The Palmerston Australia Day Awards nominations will be assessed by a judging panel consisting of the Mayor, one Elected Member and the previous year’s Citizen of the Year recipient. Should the previous Citizen of the Year not be available, a Palmerston community member approved by the Chief Executive Officer will be selected.

Nominees will be announced in January 2026 and invited to an acknowledgement of achievement event. 

Winners will be announced at the Australia Day Ceremony hosted on 26 January 2026 at the Palmerston Recreation Centre.