Bowen Award Winners

The Arts and Cultural Award goes to:

Nicole Rowan

Nicole started the Happy Rocks craze in Bowen as a fun activity she could do with her children, but it soon grew to a community of 1300 people who regularly paint, hide and hunt for rocks.

Great promoters for Bowen, the rocks have travelled all over the world left in places for people to find and encouraging them to visit Bowen.

Nicole Rowan with her son Archie

The Senior Sports Award

Sylvie Thureau-Martin

Sylvie is a 71-year-old active member of the Whitsunday Running Club who is a keen competitor and someone you can rely on to volunteer at community events.

Her greatest recent achievement was setting a new Queensland Women’s Masters record where she ran a time of 55.02 on the world certified 10km course at the Airlie Beach Marathon Festival.

Sylvie Thureau-Martin

The Young Sports Award goes to:

Shaniah Power

Shaniah started playing for the Proserpine Brahmans in 2019 and then played for the Townsville Western Lions where she represented Queensland Country at the Women’s National Championships.

In 2020 and 2021 Shaniah was selected to play for the Indigenous All Stars, the North Queensland Gold Stars and was selected to play for the Gold Coast Titans.

Shaniah Power

Volunteer of the Year Award

Arthur and Robyn Burrell

This inspiring couple have been volunteering in the Bowen community for over 45 years.

Arthur is a member of the Bowen RSL and helped establish the Bowen Men’s Shed.

Robyn has been fundraising for the Cancer Council for the past five years and is currently supporting the Cancer Council’s Shitbox Rally

Together they have volunteered for the Delta Rural Fire Brigade for 15 years and both donate time for the Bowen PCYC’s mentor driving program – Braking the Cycle.

Arthur (Tek) and Robyn Burrell

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