Broome Celebrations Community Citizens of the Year for 2024
Published on 31 January 2025
Caption: Young Community Citizen of the Year Ash Schaffer
Broome came together on January 26 to celebrate the outstanding contributions of its local heroes at the Community Citizen of the Year Awards, held as part of the town’s annual Community Breakfast and Citizenship Ceremony at Guwarri Town Beach.
Shire President Chris Mitchell and Australia Day Ambassador Professor Ralph Martins presented awards to three remarkable individuals for their dedication to making a difference in the community.
The Young Community Citizen of the Year award was presented to Ash Schaffer, a passionate volunteer coach at Broome Boxing Club and mentor at Broome Senior High School through the Clontarf Foundation.
Ash’s commitment to empowering youth through sport and leadership earned him well-deserved recognition.
Caption: The 17 new Australian citiziens that were officially welcomed at the event.
The Senior Community Citizen of the Year award was awarded to Di Vomiero, who has dedicated over 30 years to volunteering in Broome.
As a long-time member of the Broome Lionesses, she has played a key role in fundraising initiatives, including the popular Mango Ball, and has spent nearly two decades as a bingo caller at the RSL.
The prestigious Community Citizen of the Year award went to Bernadette Egan, whose work with the Royal Life Saving WA Remote Pools Project has transformed water safety education in remote communities.
Bernadette’s dedication to ensuring children in areas like Bidyadanga have access to vital swimming programs has made a lasting impact on local families.
The awards were a highlight of Broome’s Australia Day celebrations, which also featured a Welcome to Country, a keynote speech from Auspire Ambassasdor Professor Martins, and a special Citizenship Ceremony where 17 new Australians were officially welcomed.
The event wrapped up with a shared breakfast, live music, and a strong sense of community pride—marking another memorable Australia Day in Broome.