General News
27 January, 2026
Community efforts celebrated
A WOMAN who has been a driving force in generating life-saving blood donations and a dedicated volunteer in beautifying her home town of Malanda has been named Tablelands Regional Council’s Citizen of the Year.
A cancer survivor, Anj Mittelstadt lost her 13-year-old daughter Missy to cancer in 2020 after battling aggressive cancers. Throughout Missy’s treatments, she received nearly 200 blood transfusions and with blood becoming harder and harder to access, Anj started her organisation “Missy’s Donors” to encourage people to donate blood and plasma to people like her daughter.
Through her leadership, advocacy and example, her team has generated over 2,000 blood donations annually for eight consecutive years, saving an estimated 6,000 Australian lives each year.
“Missy’s Donors” has also raised awareness locally by competing in the Great Wheelbarrow Race for years, with a trio team breaking a record in 2024.
In addition to her passion for encouraging blood donations, Anj has voluntarily beautified Malanda’s gardens and streetscapes, giving her own time, resources and expertise for the past 15 years.
She has not only helped save thousands of lives nationally through blood donorship advocacy, but has also shaped Malanda into a beautiful, welcoming and progressive modern country town.
The Young Citizen of the Year was awarded to Amelie Cockrem who has been a shining light both academically and culturally.
Amelie’s recent accolades include being awarded Malanda High’s Junior School Dux and Junior School Captain, ADF’s Future Innovators Award for her contributions to STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) for girls, and Most Outstanding Student in Year 10.
Amelie also fosters a strong dedication to sports as an active member of the Malanda Swimming Club and representative cricket player. She is a member of the Malanda Theatre Company performing in numerous productions and volunteering extensively.
Amelie shows what young people can achieve when they lead with heart, humility and courage.
Judges couldn’t pick an outright winner for the Community Event of the Year Award, giving three events – Atherton Carols by Candlelight, the Atherton Maize Festival and the Tolga Scarecrow Festival – the top accolade.
The 2025 Carols by Candlelight featured night markets with over 40 stallholders, offering local artisans, producers, and small businesses valuable exposure and trading opportunities in a vibrant celebration.
The Gingerbread House Competition grew in popularity, adding a playful and creative dimension to the event. But what made the event truly remarkable was that every performer, organiser, decorator, and crew member contributed voluntarily.
The Atherton Maize Festival featured three key events include the Maize Ball, High Tea, and the Main Street Parade, all encouraging strong community participation and connection. A highlight of the festival is the Maize Queen and Princess program, which supports young rural women by building confidence, leadership, and public speaking skills with participants fundraising for local charities.
In recent years, the festival has donated over $26,000 to local charities.
The Tolga Scarecrow Festival has been held for several years now and features competitions, traditional games, market stalls and entertainment. Attracting around 3,000 attendees, it fosters community participation across all ages and abilities.
The festival provides community connections and fundraising opportunities for community groups, generating over $5,000 in direct benefit.
Well-known in Malanda for operating the Busy Bee opportunity shop for 28 years, volunteers Barry and Judith Waugh were named the winners of the Community Service Award.
Known for their organisational skills, work ethic, generosity, warm welcome and deep faith, they support families and individuals on the Tablelands. Their tireless commitment to those struggling is inclusive and unwavering.
Now in their 80s, they continue to actively volunteer six days a week, managing copious quantities of donations, and coordinating the workflow of over 25 volunteers.
The Sports Supporter Award went to cycling devotee David Prete who has dedicated time and effort supporting cycling on the Tablelands for more than 22 years.
David has led funding applications, developed proposals, built partnerships, chaired committees and championed stakeholder collaboration to support cycling in the region. As president of the Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Club and president of Tableland Cycle Sports, he has pioneered cycling as both a sport and was pivotal in establishing the Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park.
A committed athlete whose achievements span cricket, CrossFit, athletics, cross country, and softball was named the winner of the Junior Sports Award.
Indiana Palmer earned the title of Representative Player of the Year for both Atherton and Mareeba Cricket Clubs, as well as Ladies Player of the Year. She is amongst the top-ranked youth CrossFit athletes across the Oceania region and internationally.
She has participated in State Athletics and Cross Country and was recently selected for the Peninsula Softball Team for the State Championships.
The Cultural Award went to Jaelene Durrand who has led school and community mural projects, coordinated exhibitions featuring regional artists, and delivered creative workshops that prioritise access for young people and regional communities. Jaelene actively mentors emerging artists and teachers and her practice has been recognised through the Queensland Regional Art Awards – one of just four finalists for the Emerging Artist Award.
The Atherton Performing Arts Youth Theatre group’s production of Disney’s “Newsies Junior” has earned the group the Junior Cultural Award.
Five months of rehearsals and weekly youth theatre sessions resulted in a quality, community celebrated production, drawing record audiences and widespread praise.
The production showcased the talent, creativity, dedication, and teamwork of 25 young people from across the region.
