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Another big honour for town elder

Geoff VivianMidwest Times
Thomas Cameron at the 2019 National Dreamtime Awards in Sydney.
Camera IconThomas Cameron at the 2019 National Dreamtime Awards in Sydney. Credit: Thomas Cameron

Wattandee elder Thomas Cameron has received a national honour at a gala presentation night in Sydney.

Organisers describe the National Dreamtime Awards as an opportunity for First Nation people to come together and recognise their excellence in sport, arts, academic achievement and community.

Mr Cameron was named Community Person of the Year for his efforts preserving the former Littlewell Native Reserve near Mingenew as a heritage site.

Accepting the award, Mr Cameron thanked the people he grew up with at Littlewell.

“My people have faith and trust in me to be spokesperson and leader on our journey of our Kanyongoo (Spirit) and dreaming to preserve our Littlewell Mingenew Aboriginal Reserve,” he said.

“It became a camping reserve in 1898, then closed in 1972 — 47 years later, we have preserved a place in history with our official opening on the 15th of March, 2019.”

Mr Cameron’s national award follows his recognition in Perth earlier this year as Indigenous Community Volunteer for WA and accepting the NAIDOC Caring for Country award in Canberra on behalf of the Littlewell Working Group.

For the past three years, he has been a volunteer with the Carnarvon Shire community development team, working on projects such as road resealing at Mungullah Aboriginal Community on the town’s outskirts.

Mr Cameron said he enjoyed his work with the multi-cultural team at Carnarvon Shire.

He is due to return to Sydney on December 3 for another presentation night at the Banksia Sustainability Awards.

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