East Gippsland Shire Council’s 2026 Australia Day Awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at the Lakes Entrance Surf Life Saving Club in Lakes Entrance, starting at 5.30pm.
The shire-wide awards recognise the contributions East Gippsland residents make to the broader community across the categories of Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Event of the Year.
The ceremony will include live entertainment, a free barbecue and a keynote address from Australia Day Ambassador Dr Patrick Kinsella, a well-known and highly respected member of the Lakes Entrance community.
Dr Kinsella has served the region as a general practitioner at Gippsland Lakes Complete Health since 1984. Drawn to Lakes Entrance for its coastal lifestyle and the vision of a community health centre offering integrated health services under one roof, he has played a significant role in shaping local healthcare delivery.
Alongside his clinical work, Dr Kinsella has been deeply committed to the education of future doctors, serving for many years as a GP supervisor within his own practice and more broadly across Victoria as a medical educator. For more than 20 years, he also ran regular clinical sessions at Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust, continuing the important work of one of his mentors, Dr Elizabeth Bakewell.
Beyond medicine, Dr Kinsella’s community involvement spans media, sport and the arts. He was instrumental in the establishment of Radio East Gippsland (REG) and served as its first president, overseeing early test transmissions before the station received its full community radio licence. The community health centre became REG’s first permanent home, highlighting the broader community benefits of integrated services. Dr Kinsella also hosted radio programs including Voyage, focused on folk music, and the much-loved Country Practice on Radio.
Together with his wife Wendy, Dr Kinsella founded the Lakes Junior Soccer Club at St Brendan’s. The club hosted the annual Shanley Cup for many years, attracting teams from across Gippsland and strengthening regional connections through sport. He is also a founding member of the still-singing Nowa Nowa Men’s Choir.
Mayor Cr Jodie Ashworth said Dr Kinsella exemplifies the spirit of service and connection that the Australia Day Awards celebrate.
“Dr Kinsella’s contribution to East Gippsland spans decades and touches health, education, community media, sport and culture,” Cr Ashworth said.
“He represents the quiet, consistent leadership that strengthens communities over time, and we are honoured to have him as our 2026 Australia Day Ambassador.”
Everyone is welcome to attend the awards ceremony and celebrate the people and events that make East Gippsland such a special place to live. RSVPs for catering purposes are encouraged and can be made by phoning or emailing council’s civic events team.
