Community & Business
17 January, 2024
Neville Cherry selected for Australia Day
Pest exterminator and farmer Neville Cherry has been selected as the speaker for this year’s Oakey Australia Day Citizenship and Awards ceremony.
Neville runs a local pest extermination business and has family roots going back eight generations in the Oakey district.
As someone who has consistently supported the event, he says it’s an honour to formally welcome new citizens to the region.
“Lots of new Australians are about to start off their new life here in the heart of the Darling Downs,” he said.
“We’ve had people come in from the Pacific Islands, Brazil and Asia.
“The great Australian Dream starts right here.”
He said recent local support of businesses and events was encouraging.
“Since Covid, there’s been a big push to support local businesses,” he said.
“It’s great to see our forward-thinking Toowoomba Regional Council back us in for this event.
Neville said he hasn’t finished off his speech just yet, but gave a hint on the subject matter.
“We’ve got a great statue to pay tribute to Bernborough - the greatest racehorse this country has ever seen,” he said.
“I reckon they should build a statue to the working class man in Oakey.
“We’re a working class town between those at the abattoir and those on the Army Aviation base.
“We’ve got lots of good people in the agricultural industry on properties in and around town.
“I went around the world (for work) last year and I tell you, you don’t realise how lucky we’ve got it here.”
Oakey’s Australia Day celebrations are widely recognised as being some of the biggest in the region and regularly attract the attention of Toowoomba-based media outlets.
Organiser Craig Commens says the day will be one for the whole family.
“Breakfast gets underway at 7.30am, we’ll have the Awards Ceremony at 8.30am and the fun and Games start 9.45am,” he said.
“We’ll have the Oakey Lions Club catering all day.
“The Iron Man and Raft Races have both open and junior categories, and the dunny race will, too.
“For ‘juniors’, we’re opening it up to anyone who was in primary school last year.
“We’ll also have the Tug of War for teams of six.
“For the first time ever, we’ll have an Isuzu truck towing contest, towing over 25 metres.
“It’ll have $500 for first prize and $250 second prize to the local community group/charity of your choice.”
Anyone wishing to borrow a dunny for the race should contact Craig on 0428 717 519.
