At just 16 years old, Gin Gin’s Jack Daw has been awarded Young Citizen of the Year in the 2025 Bundaberg Region Australia Day Awards.
Amongst his various volunteering efforts and community participation, he and his father heroically saved a man from a burning vehicle just moments before it was fully engulfed.
Here’s what Jack had to say:
How does it feel to be receiving an award?
It’s still settling in, I was not expecting to be getting an Australia Day Award.
This week has been non-stop!
We got a call the other day saying, “You’re flying to Brisbane to get the inaugural Mark Ryan Award from the PCYC and then we got back and received the Chief Officer’s Commendation from Ben Millington the Acting Chief Officer of Rural Fire Service Queensland and then of course the Australia Day Award.”
It’s going to take a couple of days to set in and realise what’s just happened.
Its an amazing feeling, it’s something completely different.
Why do you think you were nominated?
Honestly, I have no idea.
I think pulling the guy out of the car would’ve been a big part of it but also in the past, I’ve spent two years with the Rural Fire Service, a year with the SES and three years with the cadets.
The PCYC Emergency Services Cadets program is such an amazing program for youth, giving them taste of what it’s like to work in the various emergency services, but then also that pathway from being a junior to joining the services and becoming a firefighter or a community member or field operator in the SES.
What’s next for you?
I’ve been doing social media management for a couple of years with the SES and the RFS, so I’ll be looking into a career with the fire department [in] their communications team and if not then a fire communications officer down at Kawana Waters on the Sunshine Coast.
Read more about the Australia Day Award winners here.
Other news:
