Mayoral Column - 20 September 2023
Published on 20 September 2023
Each year since 1996 our community has gathered at the Jim Comerford Memorial Wall in Aberdare to remember and pay tribute to the 1793 miners who lost their lives mining the coal of the Northern District Coalfields.
The 26th Annual Memorial Day Service was recently held on Sunday 10 September, where I was honoured to join members of the Mining and Energy Union – Northern Mining and NSW Energy District, Federal and State MPs, and representatives from Councils across the region, and lay a wreath on behalf of Cessnock City Council.
This important annual commemoration provides an opportunity to remember those who went to work in the mines, but who sadly never returned home.
The memorial wall lists the names of all miners who lost their lives in mining accidents in our region. It is pleasing that no further names have been added in the past 12 months.
Last week, I was privileged to preside over the largest citizenship ceremony in Cessnock since 2019, outside of Australia Day. The ceremony saw 41 local residents from countries including Brazil, Cambodia, Fiji, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam, conferred with Australian Citizenship.
I’d like to particularly thank the Cessnock West Public School choir who performed the national anthem. It was fitting that the choir performed at this ceremony, as one of its own members, Mila Bowles, took the oath of citizenship alongside her family members on the day.
A new painting is on display at Council, taking pride of place on the wall in my office. The artwork was painted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students finishing year 6 and starting at Mount View High School in 2024, as part of the Connecting to Culture Days school transition program. The painting features a map of the LGA with culturally significant sites, a representation of the school and a wedge-tailed eagle denoting the three ‘C’s in the Cessnock City Council logo.
Finally, nominations are open for the 2024 Cessnock City Australia Day Awards. Each year, we celebrate Australia Day by hosting an awards ceremony to recognise those in our community who make a difference. Residents of the LGA are invited to nominate fellow citizens or organisations in the following award categories: Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Maree Callaghan Award – Young Female Achiever, Community Event of the Year, Sports, Environment, Environment Award – Young Citizen, Heritage and Community.
For more information about the Cessnock City Australia Day Awards and to complete a nomination form visit: https://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/Council/Civic-events-information/Australia-Day-Awards. Nominations close on Monday 6 November 2023.