Community & Business
10 February, 2025
Glyn Rees - Very Honoured
My wife Wendy and I moved to Allora back in 1994, due to a Queensland Fire and Rescue Career transfer from home town Gladstone that saw me relocated to Warwick and later Toowoomba.
Allora seemed the ideal spot to settle and raise our family, a decision that turned out to be one of the best we made.
I am very proud to have been involved in and made significant contributions to many community organisations, groups and clubs over a life time, but especially since arriving in Allora, and was fortunate indeed in being named the Warwick Shire Council ‘Australia Day Citizen of the Year’ in 2004.
I served on the Warwick Shire Council from 2004 - 2008 as Councillor for Division 1, and from 2012 - 2016 I served as a Councillor with the Southern Downs Regional Council.
I certainly gained a great deal of enjoyment serving my community as a Councillor, whether it be the Warwick region or the Southern Downs region, but as with any similar role while there were challenges, there were also rewards.
While there was so much I would have liked to see happen to maintain & improve Allora and the wider region, some didn’t come about and have yet to come about, but many requests or challenges were rewarded with positive outcomes.
The role of a local government representative can be extremely demanding, trying to achieve the best and needed outcomes for the communities we actually live within.
For the most part I enjoyed an amicable relationship with those I represented right across the jurisdiction Council of the time, met a lot of people, covered a lot of formerly unknown territory, learnt a great deal about local government and its workings and made some good friends.
I also enjoyed immensely travelling our region and appreciating all there is to see and enjoy, and become aware of the contributions of so many community members.
While there are many achievements of various levels I take some pride from, the pipeline from Warwick to Allora to enhance water quality is something I feel was a significant positive.
I would like to thank the Allora & District Historical Society for the invitation and opportunity to be included in their fascinating Local Government display, of Mayors, Shire Chairmen and Councillors that spans much more than a century.
The Historical group have been wonderful community achievers of many decades preserving our area history.
I recall being invited to attend and act as Chairman of Allora & District Historical Society Annual General Meeting when I was a member of the Warwick Shire Council.
I commenced the meeting as Chairman for the AGM, and surprisingly completed it as the new Society Secretary, still brings a smile to my face.
It means a great deal to me having my image displayed in the museum, especially given my great love of local history, Allora and its community.
- Glyn Rees
