AN Aboriginal elder has received one of the state’s top honours, for his work helping to restore an historic cemetery.
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At an award ceremony in Sydney on Tuesday night, local elder Len Waters received a Premier’s Award for Public Service, in the ‘improving government services’ category.
Mr Waters took out the category, in his capacity as an educational leader at TAFE New England, for helping to restore the Toomelah cemetery.
Along with community members, Mr Waters helped with the ground work, replacing crosses and flood mitigation and also helped to identity graves.
Still overwhelmed by his win, Mr Waters told The Leader on Wednesday, he was proud to be acknowledged.
“I was very proud to get the award last night, and I think a lot of other people were happy too,” he said.
“I was very surprised. It was a nice ceremony and it was nice to get something off the premier. There were plenty of well wishes.”
Mr Waters said the award was also a tribute to the hard work of the community in his home town of Toomelah.
He said he was pleased that working in a public service had helped bring the project to fruition.
“It’s one of the highlights of being in the public service field for a long time,” he said.
“They’ve got tentacles that go all over the state and no other organisation can do that.
“You have contacts and connections in major cities around the place.
“It really helps. It is hard to do projects like this unless you have good connections, and I am fortunate to have TAFE in my life.”
Peter Heilbuth, TAFE New England Institute Director, congratulated Mr Waters on the “well-deserved” award.
“TAFE New England worked with community members to undertake the project, which included work to expand the cemetery area, identify unmarked graves and flood mitigation.
The project also included the construction of a rest area, with native plants and gravel road work on the entrance to the cemetery,” he said.