Wellington's 2020 Australia Day ambassador Paul Featherstone and his wife, Cheryl, were welcomed to the region over the weekend.
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The husband and wife experienced the Wellington Caves, Taronga Western Plains Zoo and Dubbo Gaol while in town.
Mr Featherstone, is a senior instructor with the NSW Ambulance Special Access Casualty Team and has been instrumental in emergency management for events such as the 1997 Thredbo Disaster, the Bali Bombing and the Beaconsfield Mine Rescue.
He made a passionate speech during the Wellington ceremony that touched on those experiences, plus the ongoing fires and drought and why it was important to look after one another.
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In his address Mr Featherstone spoke about assisting Stuart Diver during the 1997 Thredbo Disaster.
"He was locked in there for 60 hours and I called it a concrete tomb with broken rocks and freezing water. He lost the love of his life, thought he had lost his manhood because he couldn't save her," he said.
"But he had a love of life and a love of people and it was that love that got shown right through the community and of the rescue and the support that came.
"I jump from there to what's currently happening on our farmlands now... I've seen people suffer. In the fires I saw the last of someones breeding stock get totally burnt... and I thought 'how do you suffer those losses?'.... but the amount of money put forward for the fire victims, for the amount of good work that Lions and Rotary Clubs do to try and get the donated hay... is a great tribute to Australia.
"My belief is everyone makes a difference."
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It was then that Mr Featherstone addressed the young Wellington generation, adding that they too will each make a difference one day.
"Life, to me, is all about people," he added.
"There is a lot of support, particularly in the country which is awesome to see..."
Mr Featherstone reminded the crowd that tomorrow is another day and that we must be strong.
"Have your belief that to be a good person is what you're aiming for. If you become a good person good people will follow you," he said.
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His final message to the Wellington community was thanking everyone who turned out for the Australia Day awards ceremony.
"I believe it is one of the best days of the year and the more folks we get coming to this to realise how lucky we are to be in Australia, to have friends is good, to have a soul mate is even better, but to have strangers come out of the woodwork when there's trouble.... it does your spirit good," Mr Featherstone said.
It has been Australia's lost summer. Drought, hail, floods and, worst of all, bushfires have ravaged communities all over the nation.
But the selfless actions of friends, family, neighbours, strangers, local groups and volunteer organisations have inspired us and strengthened the bonds of community.
Please join us in saying thanks to the heroes of the home front by sharing your stories of gratitude. To salute a person or a group, please use the form below.
Taylor Jurd
Hi, my name is Taylor Jurd. I am a journalist with Australian Community Media, I write for the Western Magazine and Wellington Times.
Hi, my name is Taylor Jurd. I am a journalist with Australian Community Media, I write for the Western Magazine and Wellington Times.
