Australia Day 2024 - Community Environmental Award to RVRT Supporters Group

​𝘼𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝘿𝙖𝙮 2024 – 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝙀𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 to RVRT Supporters' Group from Cessnock City Council

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Somewhat to our surprise, on January 26th 2024 the RVRT Supporters' Group received an Australia Day Community Environmental Award from Cessnock City Council, based on our longstanding and ongoing efforts in "advocating for the preservation and development of the Richmond Vale Rail Trail (RVRT)".
 
A Plaque and Certificate (see Image 1) were presented to the Group’s representatives (see Image 2) at an Awards and Citizenship Ceremony held at the Performance Arts and Culture Centre (PACC) in Cessnock. [We also received a copy of Uncle Warren Taggart’s (2023) ‘Spirit of Place’ book about Wonnarua culture.]

Image 1: Australia Day 2024 Environmental Award to RVRT Supporters’ Group – Plaque and Certificate.

Image 2: Terry Lewin, Leigh Gibbens and Sam Reich with Mayor Jay Suvaal, after the Australia Day 2024 Awards and Citizenship Ceremony - at the Performance Arts and Culture Centre (PACC), Cessnock.

Congratulations to RVRT Inc. Members and to everyone who has supported the RVRT’s development (see Image 3 for more detailed Acknowledgements and Thanks).
 
No doubt, this Award reflects both our consistent and persistent advocacy for the trail's development and our other 'environmental' contributions, such as the efforts of our dedicated NPWS-RVRT Landcare volunteers and our engagement with related regional initiatives such as the Shiraz to Shore project.
 
We have often highlighted the RVRT’s potential regional role as a ‘conservation conduit’ (e.g., https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/news/the-rvrt-as-a-conservation-conduit), which was further reinforced by the Newcastle Herald’s recent excellent series of articles (January 2024) about “The Hunter’s Hidden Gem: The Story of Hexham Wetland” (see https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/news/part-1-to-3-of-hexham-wetland-series-by-the-newcastle-herald and https://www.richmondvalerailtrail.org.au/news/the-hunters-hidden-gem-the-story-of-hexham-wetland-continued).

Image 3: Community Environmental Award - Acknowledgements and Thanks. Conservation Areas along or near the RVRT are illustrated in the Figure.

It’s nice to receive some external recognition for our collective efforts. In celebration of this Environmental Award, Image 4 presents a small cross-section of photos (from the past few years) of our Members, NPWS-RVRT Landcare Volunteers, and Supporters.

Image 4: A small cross-section of photos (from the past few years) of our Members, NPWS-RVRT Landcare Volunteers, and Supporters (including local MPs and Councillors, and NSW NPWS Officers).

Some additional photos

Image 5: Tim Roberts, Terry Lewin, Sam Reich and Leigh Gibbens - at the Performance Arts and Culture Centre (PACC), Cessnock (26/1/2024).

Image 6: Sam Reich, Leigh Gibbens and Terry Lewin with Mayor Jay Suvaal and the Australia Day Ambassadors, during the Australia Day 2024 Awards and Citizenship Ceremony - at the Performance Arts and Culture Centre (PACC), Cessnock.

​Thanks (again) to all of our RVRT supporters.

RVRT Inc. contact information:
    WEBSITE:   https://richmondalerailtrail.org.au/
FACEBOOK:   https://www.facebook.com/richmondrailtrail/
 
Secretary & Treasurer:  Sam Reich
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0418 402 644 (Sam)

​President:  Billy Metcalfe
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0417 453 152 (Billy)
 
Vice-president:  Terry Lewin
Email:  [email protected]
Telephone:  0404 439 616 (Terry)