From tragedy to triumph
Cathy Willis at her Gladstone Hotel with the Dorset Council Australia Day awards she won last Thursday.
January 31, 2024
By Rachel Williams
Spurred on by the memory of her son, Dorset’s Citizen of the Year is busy creating a bright future for her new hometown of Gladstone.
Cathy Willis is humbled to have won the Australia Day honour for her tireless work making the isolated town a popular destination.
Cathy has been in Gladstone for four years after moving from Deloraine, where her husband Bob worked for Ashgrove and she worked at Aged Care Deloraine.
With Bob working at Icena, the couple had purchased a shack in the town when tragedy struck – her 23-year-old son, Kieran Whitehouse, was killed in a car crash and it changed the trajectory of her life.
“My son was coming up to see the shack after we bought it, he was a builder, and he died at Ridgley on the way,” Cathy said.
“I just wanted to keep my mind busy - I have never done anything like this before.
“It was very tragic. He would have loved this pub because he loved a good time.”
With no hospitality or event management experience, she bought the Gladstone Hotel because she could see its potential.
In the last three years she has grown the business with the addition of a café and has organised a multitude of events, including the inaugural Gladstone Rodeo, which was named Dorset Community Event of the Year.
“I have never won anything like that before. It makes me proud to be recognised,” Cathy said.
“I had lots of help from lots of volunteers – 14 or 15 locals just got in and helped and Stephen Creese gave us the land to use at Boobyalla Park.
“We were expecting 1000 to 2000 people and to get 5000 to 6000 people was just amazing.”
The now annual event will be held on the November Long Weekend.
She has also organised three woodchopping carnivals which have become an annual event with State Championship status and the Gladstone Ride which now attracts over 350 competitors in May raising money for the Black Dog Institute.
In April she’s organising another charity event for road bikes to take part in a Poker Run incorporating five pubs within the region.
Her next event though is the inaugural Back to Gladstone Day on Saturday, March 2, with hundreds set to return to the town to take part in a trip down memory lane with a classic car show, horse and cart rides, market stalls, live music, a heritage photo booth and historical pictorial display.
“I just love meeting new people. It’s God’s Country down this area I reckon,” she said.
“I love making people happy and seeing them have a good time. We get people from all over the state coming for meals. On Saturday we did 250 meals for lunch and tea – we have never done that before.”
Her nomination stated: “Cathy has given our town a sense of belonging and put pride back into our footsteps. I cannot give any more deserving praise for this lady to be given this award, as people just sing her praises and love her character while putting Gladstone back on the map for the far North-East of Dorset.
“Cathy is always wondering what she
is going to do next for the community that she is so dedicated to and where her selflessness has enriched the lives of many people
around her.”
The Dorset Sports Award went to Ethan Petterwood, who was unable to attend the ceremony.
He was honoured for his role as playing coach of the Scottsdale Football Club for the last 4 years.
After losing a lot of players at the start of the 2023 season, Ethan worked tirelessly to ensure he was able to field a team week in and week out, serving as a positive role model for the players.
In addition to football, in Ethan’s role as a Scottsdale High School teacher he has spent a lot of his own personal time ensuring students make the most of every sporting opportunity they have. He has assisted the local squash club with junior recruitment by incorporating squash in to school classes, driven busloads of kids to Devonport to participate in the annual All-Schools triathlon and many more out of school activities.
The Dorset Volunteer of the Year Award went to Darlene Bennett, who has been a resident of Dorset since 2007 when she first moved to Bridport.
In 2021 Darlene and her family moved to Legerwood which was the start of her association with the Legerwood Catering Group as a volunteer.
The Young Citizen of the Year Award went to Amity Krushka, who last year became the first student from Scottsdale High School to receive a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
Tori Hall, who will represent the State in the prestigious Frank McDonald Prize tour of the Western Front in April this year, received a Certificate of Appreciation.
The Australia Day Awards Service was held at Ringarooma Hall with 80 people
in attendance.
Professor Peter Dargaville, a 2023 Tasmanian Australian of the Year nominee for his ground-breaking work improving premature baby survival rates, was the region’s Australia Day ambassador.
George Town
George Town celebrated Australia Day with a Civic Ceremony on Friday, January 26, welcoming five new citizens and presenting Australia Day awards.
John Kamara, the 2023 Tasmanian Australian of the Year, was the municipality’s 2024 Australia Day Ambassador. Citizen of the Year was presented to June Smith OAM. Her achievements since arriving in George Town in 1969, include being founding member of the Play Centre, fundraising to develop the swim centre and was the first woman to be Deputy Warden.
George Town and District Historical Society claimed Community Event of the Year. Sportsperson of the Year went to Sophie Hills and Aidan O’Connor won Young Sportsperson of the Year.
Celebrations continued with a sold-out family pool party, with more than 400 people enjoying pool games, photos, laser tag, live music and ice creams.
Break O’Day
Portland Hall in St Helens was filled with community pride on Australia Day with Ambassador Kim Smith, a retired Police Officer who won awards for his contribution to Outreach for reducing violence and offences, in attendance for the awards ceremony.
Ann Maree Blunt was named Citizen of the Year for her work advocating for the region’s youth in particular with her work establishing the St Helens Netball Association, as a foster carer for children within her own home, a key member in establishing Little Athletics, a driver for meals on wheels and mentoring at the St Helens District High School.
Young Citizen of the Year Award to trio Etta Cornelius, Sienna McGiveron and Helayna McGiveron, for their volunteer work including a biannual beach clean-up session.
The Mayor’s Special Award went to Nicki Treloggen while Christine Treloggen received the Municipal Excellence Award.