Five legends of the community have been inducted to Shellharbour City's illustrious Hall of Fame honour board.
Well-known sports, arts, and science-based figures Professor Ngiare Brown, Caitlin Foord, Professor Justin Yerbury AM, Alex Volkanovski, and Karen Murphy were the latest inductees to the prestigious list during the Shellharbour Community and Australia Day Awards Ceremony at the Civic Centre on Wednesday, 15 January.
The Hall of Fame was established in 1988 to create a source of civic pride and in doing so, has included a wide scope of categories from which people may be nominated. Inductees are nominated every four years from fields such as science and innovation, education and research, business and public service as well as the arts, sport and recreation.
The addition of Brown, Foord, Yerbury, Volkanovski, and Murphy brings the list of inductees to the Hall of Fame to 40, joining the likes of former Australian Rugby League player Ron Costello, Olympic swimmer Beverley Whitfield, and former Mayor Keith Gray in the process.
Shellharbour City Acting Mayor Cr Kellie Marsh said that the five latest inductees were more than deserving of the accolade.
"Hall of Fame recognition is reserved for those who have shaped their field and contributed to the community and beyond," Acting Mayor Cr Marsh said.
"They are individuals that are adored people not only in the Shellharbour region, but also worldwide."
About the Inductees:
Professor Ngiare Brown - Ngaire is being inducted into the Hall of Fame for her brilliant work in the field of education and research. Growing up in Shellharbour and attending Warilla High School, she is the first female and first Indigenous Chancellor of James Cook University, elected
in 2023. A proud Yuin woman, Professor Brown is best known as one of the first Aboriginal doctors in Australia.
Cailtin Foord - Shellharbour's Caitlin Foord is an Australian professional football player. Having played over 100 games for the Matildas, as well as featuring with English powerhouses Arsenal since 2020, where she has scored 23 times. Foord continues to be a powerful role model for footballers in the region.
Professor Justin Yerbury AM - The late Professor Justin Yerbury AM led massive research into examining Motor Neurone Disease (MND). He received an Order of Australia and in 2022 was awarded the keys to the City of Wollongong, and the prestigious UNSW Eureka Prize for Scientific Research. He died from MND in 2023.
Alex Volkanovski - Alex 'The Great' Volkanovski packs pubs aplenty in Shellharbour when he takes to the octagon in the UFC. One of the best-known sporting names globally, he was the second Australian to win a UFC title after Robert Whittaker. He truly is a legend of the Shellharbour region.
Karen Murphy - Karen Murphy was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2024 as an Athlete Member for her contribution to the sport of lawn bowls. She is regarded as one of Australia's greatest ever lawn bowls players in a career spanning more than 20 years. She is the current national team assistant coach.
Photos from the awards ceremony will be available in the coming days.
