2025 Citizen of the Year - Gregory Johnson

Gregory ‘Johno’ Johnson is a quiet achiever who dedicates his time and energy to numerous clubs and community groups in the local Wagga Wagga community. Greg’s many instances of volunteering are an inspiration to all those who work to improve the lives of Wagga and district residences. He is committed to supporting locals fighting back against cancer, as an inaugural member of the Wagga Wagga Relay for Life (RFL), serving on the committee for the event’s 21-year history and driving cancer patients as part of the Cancer Council’s Transport to Treatment program. As a Transport to Treatment volunteer with Cancer Council Wagga Wagga for over 5 years, Greg has provided a friendly, positive, and supportive environment for all patients, ensuring their experience is always of the highest standard. In addition to these roles, Greg was wholly instrumental in getting lighting installed in the Anderson Oval, which allowed players to train at night. Greg also had a long and active involvement as a committee member with multiple Wagga Wagga clubs including Board Director for Riverina Australian Rules Club (Rules Club Wagga) from 1999 to 2020, Warriors Softball Club, Turvey Park Aussie Rules Club juniors and seniors, Turvey Park Club Seniors Committee, South Wagga Wagga Tolland Dons Seniors Committee, Wagga Wagga Carlton Supporters Club, Kooringal Rotary Club, Wagga Wagga Lions Club and Specialist Medical Research Foundation (SMRF).

Previous Citizen of the Year recipients

2025 Young Citizen of the Year - Haylee Burkinshaw

Haylee is a committed member of the Wagga Wagga community. When she was 13, Haylee participated in the World’s Greatest Shave, raising over $1,000. Haylee actively worked to bring her school group together, especially following the passing of her year 10 advisor Mr Ron Anschuetz. Haylee was instrumental in organising fundraisers to support the Anschuetz family after this time. At the end of year 10, she was recognised for her efforts as the first ever recipient of the Ron Anschuetz Peer Award, an award that has continued ever since to recognise a student in year 10, voted upon by their peers, honouring the memory of Mr Anschuetz. Haylee has continued to give back to the community since finishing high school, and in 2022 entered the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest. Haylee worked with her fellow entrants to host various events to fundraise for their chosen beneficiaries. Haylee then went on to be crowned Community Princess for 2023 and represented Wagga Wagga in our sister city, Leavenworth in the USA. Haylee has modelled stellar behaviour and encouraged those around her to do their best. As Entrant Coordinator she has provided countless hours to support entrants and made sure they are confident in what they are doing. Haylee has also been involved in the Rotaract Club of Wagga Wagga since 2023, joining after attending the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program. In 2024, Haylee joined the Wagga Relay for Life Committee as another way to give back to the community. Haylee also supported many other communities causes over the years, including the annual Collingullie Fishing Competition, and the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. Haylee attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program in January 2023 and was supportive of her fellow participants throughout the entire week. She was then selected as a mentor to return to the 2024 and 2025 programs, where she is responsible for leading a small group of participants throughout the week, and providing a safe place for them to debrief daily.

Previous Young Citizen of the Year recipients

The Baylis Street Walk of Honour was instigated in 1998 to recognise substantial contributors to the City of Wagga Wagga

The award forms part of Council's Australia Day Awards - confirming Council's belief in the importance of recognising those members of our community who have given so much of themselves to our city.

Nominations open in conjunction with the Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Ted Ryder Sports Memorial awards in the second half of the year and the winners are announced on Australia Day.

View the Walk of Honour Plaque locations

2025 Walk of Honour Inductees

UNCLE HEWITT AND DOT WHYMAN

Since arriving in 1974, Uncle Hewitt and Aunty Dot have been a dynamic duo in Wagga Wagga’s and the Riverina’s First Nations community. They worked together to establish a wide range of critical services for Wagga’s First Nations community and contribute significantly to local cultural and sporting activities. The Whymans arrived in Wagga Wagga when Uncle Hewitt (a Vietnam Veteran) was posted to Kapooka Army Base. He continues his work at Kapooka as a First Nations mentor and advisor to the 1^st Recruit Training Battalion. Their positive impact in the Wagga community is immeasurable and their achievements have transformed the quality of life for our First Nations community. Their tireless work in the community helped establish a wide variety of services such as Wiradjuri childcare services, Riverina Medical and Dental service, Local Aboriginal Legal Service, Wiradjuri Aboriginal Legal Service, Wiradjuri Regional Land Council, ATSIC Binaal Billa Regional Council and more.  In 2000, Uncle Hewitt was awarded the NAIDOC Aboriginal Person of the Year Wagga Wagga. In 2003 he was awarded the Justice Foundation of NSW Award, recognising his outstanding commitment to improving access to justice for Aboriginal people.

ZITA DENHOLM

Many opportunities for young people in our community would not have been possible without Zita Denholm. In 1975, Zita began working at Mt Erin Girl’s High School as English and History teacher. In this time, Zita reestablished the Mt Erin Orchestra, using instruments belonging to the school and the Presentation Sisters. She organised fundraising concerts to purchase additional instruments, purchased some from her own money and organised trips to music events and competitions across the region and beyond. By the time she retired, Mt Erin had two orchestras and a band. The establishment of the Riverina Summer School for Strings (RSSS) evolved out of those orchestras. Over her 20-plus years at Mt Erin, she directly created opportunities, encouraged and supported hundreds of young women to develop skills and build experiences. She also taught Speech and Drama to dozens of young children and teenagers, who would compete at the local Eisteddfod and undertake exams with the Australian Music Examinations Board. This was recognised by the Eisteddfod Society with a perpetual trophy in her memory in the Speech & Drama section of the 2024 Eisteddfod. After retirement, she was often an adjudicator for debates at schools across Wagga Wagga, and further afield as part of the NSW Premier’s Debating Challenge. Zita was also actively involved in the equestrian community, serving as Zone Pony Club Chief Instructor for many years, establishing Horse Trials Club and setting up arenas for Dressage Club competitions.

Previous Walk of Honour recipients

2025 Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award - David Dunn

David Dunn is a loyal, hard-working and reliable member of the Wagga Wagga community. David joined the Kooringal High School Science faculty in 1977 and fostered student involvement in the National Youth Science Forum and Rotary Exchange programs. Deeply passionate about soccer, David was instrumental in facilitating the Kooringal High School involvement in the Bill Turner Cup over many years and was appointed as the Riverina Area Manager. David’s football coaching from 1977 – 2012 enabled many Kooringal teams and Riverina teams as well as Lake Albert U-5 – U-17 teams to improve their skill levels, with David organising trips to weekend carnivals in Bathurst, Cowra, Forbes, Young and Canberra. David introduced the Shippard and Creed Shields for the local Wagga Open Girls and Boys Secondary school’s competitions and the Tiffany Selby and Brian Thomas medals for Best and Fairest players. This led to many positive outcomes including, the opportunity to develop team and individual skills without the added pressure and cost families to drive long distances from Wagga and inviting former Matilda and local champion Sally Shipard to meet local players. David received lifetime membership of Bill Turner School Football in 2018.

Previous Ted Ryder Sports Memorial recipients

2025 Environmental Citizen of the Year - Leanne Scott

Leanne is a passionate driver of waste minimisation in the Wagga community. Through her involvement with Lids4Life, Leanne aids the rescue of plastic bottle lids and many other small items from landfill and recycles them to protect our environment for future generations and wildlife. Using her initiative, Leanne plays an important role in repurposing lids into objects as diverse as tables, benches, and seats, right down to carabiners and pens. One of the key issues that Leanne’s volunteering addresses is the lack of local recycling options for small plastics. Leanne conducts the collection, washing and sorting of lids, which are then transported long distances. She is instrumental in spreading the message about recycling through her ongoing support of the Wagga Wagga City Council Waste Education section, Kurrajong recycling and The Wagga Youth Circular Lids Initiative: Repurposing Plastics, Reducing Waste. By encouraging youth to repurpose collected lids, Leanne aims to significantly reduce the volume of plastic waste that enters landfill, promoting a more sustainable waste management system. By establishing a local recycling solution, Wagga Local Circular Lids Initiative will minimise the transportation needs, thereby reducing emissions and enhancing the overall efficiency of recycling efforts. Leanne’s contribution to this initiative provides critical educational outcomes by engaging youth from various local organisations, such as Wagga’s Multicultural Youth, Alphabet Soup Youth and Visual Dreaming Indigenous Youth. Leanne is passionate about teaching young people the importance of recycling, environmental conservation and sustainable practices through hands-on activities that reinforce their understanding of waste management.

Previous Environmental Citizen of the Year recipients