General News
11 September, 2020
Cupitt received medal from Governor
TABLELAND local Ashley Cupitt was awarded his Order of Australia Medal after the Queensland Governors visit to the far north recently.
TABLELAND local Ashley Cupitt was awarded his Order of Australia Medal after the Queensland Governors visit to the far north recently.
Mr Cupitt has worked and lived on the Tablelands for nearly as long as he can remember and has become a stalwart member of the community and community groups around the Tablelands.
Starting as an Auxiliary Fire Fighter Mr Cupitt worked his way up through the ranks over the years and became the Captain of the Yungaburra Fire Station.
Volunteering at the Atherton Bowls Club, being on the ANZAC Committee and the forming and running of the Atherton Army Cadets are just some of his accomplishments.
Mr Cupitt was extremely humbled by this award and sees it as a huge honour to be presented this award.
“It’s a great honour to be recognised by your country for doing something you love,” he said.
“It’s a culmination of everything I’ve done over the years.
“All I’ve really done is tried my best to help people whenever I could.”
Mr Cupitt also owns and operates a boxing gym that not only teaches kids how to defend themselves, but also sees it as a way to help mentor young kids.
He comes from a long line of boxing lineage with his father being a welterweight champion; Mr Cupitt decided to follow in those footsteps and started hitting the bag in 1967.
After meeting the Queensland Governor the honourable Paul De Jersey, Mr Cupitt was star-struck.
“Meeting the Governor was excellent, how many people get to meet the Governor face to face,” he said.
“It is a huge highlight in my life sometimes you wonder if it’s real.
“People are saying all these nice things about me, people I’ve never met before.”
