Australia Day Awards 2026
The Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Island invites you to nominate an outstanding individual or group for the 2026 Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands Australia Day Awards, to be presented at the Australia Day celebration on Saturday 24 January 2026 at the Home Island Foreshore.
The award fosters, recognizes and celebrates significant contributions to community life and active citizenship on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. The award promotes national pride, community responsibility and participation.
Guidelines and Criteria
This year there are Four (4) Categories - Teen Award, Community Group Award, Community Member Award and Seniors Award. Only a local citizen or a local community group will be eligible for the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands Australia Day Award. The recipients will be selected for a person or a group who has made a noteworthy contribution during the current year or given outstanding service to the local community over several years through active involvement.
Eligibility Criteria
Shire is excited to introduce new categories for Australia Day 2026. 2026's event will consist of having four Australia Day Award categories. Generally, these awards recipients should have the following:
- Shown active citizenship.
- Nominees should reside or work principally within the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
- A person may recieve an award on more than one occasion in recognition of their particularly outstanding community contribution or involvement in an alternative initiative.
- Unsuccessful nominees may be nominated in future years.
- Demonstrated inspiring qualities as a role model for the community.
- Demonstarted leadership on a community issue resulting in the enhancement of community life.
Teen Award
Awarded to children up to age of 17 years in 2026. To be eligible for a Teen Award, the nominee must be a resident of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
As a Teen Award recipient, the nominee must have:
- Made a significant contribution to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands community throughout the year and/or over the previous years; and
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Outstanding leadership skills and/or be a role model for other community members and teens.
Community Group Award
To be eligible for a Community Group Award, a community group or organization must be a non-for-profit and be operating in the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. A community group can be nominated for its usual activities or for a special project it has implemented or completed. Nominated community groups must have made a significant contribution through the year and/or over previous years.
They must also have shown that they:
- Meet a community need or priority; and
- Provide exceptional service to the local community.
Community Member Award
To be eligible for the Citizen of the Year 2026 nomination, the nominee must show the following:
- Must be a resident of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
- Made a significant contribution to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands community throughout the year and/or over the previous year; and
- Outstanding leadership skills and/or role model for other community members.
Senior Award
Each and every day on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, there are countless senior residents who volunteer their time, contributing tot the wellbeing of the Cocos community. Across our community, these volunteers connect people and provide services to others. The knowledge, skill, commitment, and energy displayed by Cocos senior residents is overwhelming.
The Senior Award have been designed to provide public thanks to those quite achieving seniors who give so much to our islands.
To be eligible for a Seniors Award nomination, the nominee must have the following:
- The Nominee must be a resident of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
- Made a significant contribution to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands community throughout the year and/or over the previous years; and
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Outstanding leadership skills and/or be a role model for other community members.
Nominations Process
Nomination forms are available on the Shire’s Website, at the Shire Offices on both Home and West Island or by contacting Nadya Adim at the Shire Office on 9162 6649 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Submit your nominations to the Community Development Coordinator at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Office or via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 4.00pm Monday 19 January 2026.