Wes Canny Indigo’s Citizen of the Year

Last week Federation Council announced its event at Bangerang Park, Corowa, from 9am had changed to an invitation-only event to be live streamed via the council’s YouTube channel with Founders of the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation Ralph and Kathy Kelly the 2022 ambassadors.

Wahgunyah’s ceremony held in the beautiful Willows’ Reserve was attended by Indigo Shire Mayor Bernard Gaffney.

Mayor Gaffney was thrilled to be able to present the Citizen of the Year award to Wes Canny who he said had made a significant contribution to the Wahgunyah community over a number of years.

“Wes’s encouragement to be your best and his contribution to make his township, sporting clubs and community the best they can be, make him a very worthwhile award recipient,” he said.

Mayor Gaffney said the list of achievements and the contribution he has made to his community is to be admired.

“He has been a member and mentor to many at the Wahgunyah Football-Netball Club, a committee member, coach and mentor of the Corowa Rowing Club and in 2018 was named Victorian Sports Award Community Coach of the Year,” Councillor Gaffney said.

Since 1996 Mr Canny has been involved in the Wahgunyah Football Netball Club, starting out as a player before becoming a trainer and committee member.

In his position as trainer, he has had a very positive influence on the younger members of the club with his friendly but firm behaviour and discipline which he instils in the junior members.

Mr Canny’s ability to mentor young people is also evident at the Corowa Rowing Club where he has been a committee member and coach for approximately 20 years.

He was honoured as a Life Member in 2010 in recognition of his service to the club where he has coached young people from across the region including Corowa, Rutherglen, Wahgunyah and Chiltern.

In 2018 he was named Victorian Sports Awards Community Coach of the Year cementing his reputation as one of the most influential and impactful coaches in the state.

Corowa Rowing Club President Robert O’Halloran said Mr Canny is an extremely respected community member not only in Wahgunyah and the Indigo Shire but also in Corowa as well.

“Wes works so hard with all the committees that he is on within both communities, no one is more deserving than him of this award,” Mr O’Halloran said.

“He dedicates so much time to our rowing club and we wouldn’t be as successful as we are without his devotion.

“As head coach, he’s involved in the school rowing, so he trains all the young members and prepares them for the big regattas across the state.

“The kids idolise him. He creates a great family-orientated environment and has plenty of fun along the way. When it’s time to work, they work hard. They truly respect him.”

Corowa Rowing Club Life Member Robert Eyers said Mr Canny was a “legend”.

“Wes has been around our club for over 20 years. He’s a tireless worker of not only our club but also the Wahgunayh Footy Club. He just never stops,” Mr Eyers said.

“We are so fortunate to have someone as dedicated as him in our community.”

Mr Canny stepped up as president of the Wahgunyah Progress Association in 2020 after serving as vice president for ten years with 15 years as a member up his sleeve.

Immediate past president of the Progress Association and 2020 Indigo Shire Citizen of the Year Alan Pleitner passed his congratulations to Mr Canny.

“Wes has made a significant contribution to not just Wahgunyah but also many young people in the region. He works hard and encourages respectful behaviour that they accept and follow,” he said.

Mr Canny has also served as president of the Wahgunyah Railway Land Development Advisory Committee since its establishment by Council in 2017 and Wahgunyah Racecourse and Recreation Reserve’s Committee of Management since 2013.

Since that time, he has contributed keenly to the development of the Master Plan for the Reserve and has been very involved in the implementation of the elements of this Plan.

He was very involved in the plans for the Community Centre and the improvement to the facilities for the footballers and netballers. His dedication to completion saw him and one other person give an interest free loan of $12,500 to the Committee of Management in order to get the construction of the centre started.

During the planning of the centre, he was insistent on including an area on the plans for the establishment of a Men’s Shed. This shed became reality in 2017 and is a vital space for Wahgunyah men’s health and wellbeing.

The final big-ticket item in the Master Plan is the recently completed tennis and netball courts at the Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve. Wes was a key committee representative on the working party which ensured a very smooth and beneficial working relationship with the council project manager and the contractors.

Wahgunyah resident Sandra Johnstone who also sits on the Committee of Management said Mr Canny’s commitment to the community is “second to none”.

“He is a wonderful and diplomatic leader, he listens to everyone and takes everyone’s perspective into consideration. We are very fortunate to have him in our community,” she said.

In receiving the award, Wes said he is thrilled and humbled by the recognition.

“I was really surprised especially because I get so much more out of volunteering than I put in,” he said.

“Volunteering is incredibly rewarding from a mental health and wellbeing and social perspective but it also shows what we can achieve for our community when we work together, so to be recognised for that is great.

“I’m lucky I’m at a point in my life that I have the time and the opportunity to try to make a difference for my community and our region, it just makes sense for me to do it.”

The Indigo Shire Young Citizen of the Year has been awarded to two outstanding individuals. Seventeen-year-old Dharma Kotzur of Barnawartha and Alex Entwistle, aged 18 of Beechworth.

Both Dharma and Alex were school captains in 2021 and are described as outstanding role models for their peers.

Indigo Shire full list of Australia Day award winners:

Next week’s Free Press will feature more Australia Day coverage from Federation Council and Indigo Shire Council.