The finalists for the 2017 Western Australian of the Year Awards have been announced, with three of the 27 finalists connected to Greater Bunbury.
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Gina Williams is a finalist in the Aboriginal category. The singer and songwriter has dedicated her time to the survival of the Noongar language and is a five time winner of the WA Music Industry Aboriginal Act of the Year award.
Ms Williams has spent considerable time in Bunbury working with local students in her mission to teach the Noongar language while unifying Aboriginal traditions and contemporary cultures.
Fellow Noongar singer and songwriter Phillip Walley-Stack is also a finalist in the Aboriginal category.
Consider to be a Bunbury local, Mr Walley-Stack runs an Aboriginal entertainment and production company which performs nationally and internationally while engaging children through Noongar Radio.
He is currently working on an artist development program in which emerging artists are provided with opportunities to work alongside established people in the industry.
Professor Peter Thompson, who has worked extensively in Bunbury and Busselton, is one of four finalists in the professions category.
Professor Thompson is the deputy director of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and has dedicated his career as a cardiologist to improving the quality of health care in WA.
Celebrate WA chairman Michael Anghie said the awards are the highest honour for West Australians and recognise the vast contributions and achievements of those named as finalists.
“These awards recognise people making positive contributions to Western Australia that we all ultimately benefit from,” he said.
The overall Western Australian of the Year will be selected from the seven category winners.
