Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tenterfield’s Australia Day co-Citizen of the Year Julia Harpham has been named a finalist for the 2017 Regional Woman of the Year award after being nominated by MP Thomas George. Now she needs your vote.
Julia attracted country-wide acclaim for her work bringing four refugee families to the tiny village of Mingoola, on the western outskirts of the Tenterfield Shire. She was floored by the feedback she received after the airing of the Australian Story documentary which chronicled the community effort – spearheaded by Julia – to not only bring some youth and vitality to the district but a reprieve for the city-locked refugee families.
She felt the story had struck a nerve with ordinary Australians feeling helpless over the plight of refugees.
Just as she was stunned at being named Tenterfield’s Citizen of the Year (along with husband Philip), she said she was also surprised to receive the phone call from Mr George saying he had nominated her for this state award. (He had already filled out the form when he got to the bottom and learned he was supposed to have advised the nominee.)
She classed herself a very reluctant nominee.
“But it’s hard to say ‘no’ to Thomas,” she said.
While she was typically humble in accepting the nomination, she said the exposure could have a positive flow on.
“It does fire up our cause a bit,” she said.
Her award nomination citation reads:
School teacher, cattle farmer, refugee advocate and Mingoola community legend, Julia personifies civic leadership. Her work with a vast number of local community groups in northern New South Wales saw her and husband Philip awarded Tenterfield’s 2017 Citizen(s) of the Year. Most notably, Julia championed a grassroots resettlement plan for African refugees that transformed her community and addressed the problems of an aging and declining rural population. Julia worked with refugee advocacy groups and government organisations to locate refugee families welcome them to Mingoola and provide the support needed to grow into the community.
Welcoming four families (29 members) to Mingoola has allowed the town to reopen its school and provides permanent seasonal workers for local farmers. Julia and the Mingoola Progress Association’s model successfully connects refugees to regional Australia, breaks migrant misconceptions and shows hope to other deteriorating regional communities.
Julia introduces herself in the clip below...
The winner is determined by popular vote, and NSW residents can vote once per category. To vote for Julia in the Regional Woman of the Year category click here, but note that voting closes 11.59pm this Sunday, February 26.
Julia will then be heading to Sydney for the announcement of the winner at a breakfast ceremony on March 8, International Women's Day.