Sporty volunteer Ross Humphries gets City’s top gong for Australia Day

A long-serving volunteer of the Wickham and Roebourne communities has taken out the top gong at the City of Karratha Australia Day awards.

Ross Humphries was named citizen of the year for his dedication to numerous sporting and community organisations, particularly for the way he steps up to facilitate local sport.

Mr Humphries also volunteers at Wickham Primary School and Wickham Tidy Town clean-ups and has been a board member of Yaandina Community Services for about seven years.

Mr Humphries said he was embarrassed but appreciative to have won the award and hoped to encourage people to realise the value of sport.

“I was a little bit embarrassed, given the level of volunteerism and people who do things in the community for different organisations and different people that are marginalised in the community,” he said.

“I suppose it’s a bit of a platform to let people know about the value of junior sport. It’s a very safe environment for kids to learn qualities like respect for other people, value indifference, respect equipment, resilience, and being able to get disappointment and bounce back the following week. 

“I’d like to congratulate all the people that were nominated. They all would be very deserving winners of the award.”

Also crowned winners in other categories were Wickham Tidy Towns, Lee Tattam, Tropical Cyclone Damien Response Team, Karratha Bush Fire Concert Funds for Firies and Jace Bradley.

The 2021 Australia Day Honours List recognised Marine Rescue Exmouth volunteer Michael “Rusty” Ellis with an Emergency Services Medal.

Mr Ellis has served the Exmouth community for more than 10 years through critical search and rescue missions at sea in extreme conditions.

The Pilbara also welcomed new citizens at ceremonies across the region, including 61 new Australians in Karratha.