Boorowa

Boorowa

Nominations for the following Australia Day Awards in Boorowa have now closed.

Harden

Nominations for the following Australia Day Awards in Harden are now open:  

• Junior Citizen of the Year (Aged Under 18) 
• Citizen of the Year (Aged 18 and over) 
• Community Group of the year  
• Town Care Award 

The Harden area includes Harden-Murrumburrah and the villages of Galong and Jugiong. Nominations are to be in writing with a short resume about the person being nominated.  

Nominations for Harden Australia Day Awards close on Friday 9 January 2026. 

Boorowa – Ms. Mel Thomas

Harden – Mr. Khushaal Vyas

Mel Thomas is a leading advocate for youth empowerment and women’s safety, and the Founder and CEO of KYUP! Project—a national self-worth and violence-prevention organisation that has reached more than 40,000 young people across Australia. Since launching KYUP! in 2013, Mel has partnered with over 40 regional councils, NSW Government, NSW Police and PCYC to deliver programs that build confidence, strengthen boundaries and teach practical safety skills.

Her lived experience with violence shaped her purpose: to break cycles, elevate self-worth and give young people—especially girls—the tools to protect themselves physically, emotionally and socially. Today, Mel leads a team of 50 female black belt instructors who combine martial arts expertise with emotional resilience training, creating programs that change lives.

Mel’s impact has been widely recognised. She is Manly Northern Beaches Citizen of the Year 2025, a Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year, an Australian of the Year nominee, and a finalist in multiple national leadership and community impact awards. She is also a two-time Australian Hapkido Woman of the Year, a second-dan black belt martial artist and an invited speaker at national conferences on domestic violence prevention, youth wellbeing and gender equality. Her thought leadership extends to published work in the Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.

Currently, Mel is expanding KYUP!’s reach into the Central Tablelands, Shoalhaven and Northern Rivers, with initiatives including Prepared Not Scared—a national Schoolies safety program—an Indigenous-specific empowerment program, a youth advisory board and digital mentoring platforms. She is also campaigning for stronger domestic and intimate-partner violence education in schools and supporting young leaders to use their voices for change.

As an Australia Day Ambassador, Mel celebrates the strength, diversity and generosity of Australians while acknowledging the challenges we must overcome—particularly around women’s safety. For her, being Australian means resilience, fairness and showing up for one another. Through her platform, she empowers the next generation to know their worth and stand strong, because when young people feel valued and confident, everything changes.

Khushaal Vyas is a respected human rights lawyer, social commentator and not-for-profit leader whose work champions fairness, inclusion and opportunity for young Australians. A finalist in the 2025 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards, Khushaal has built a career dedicated to protecting vulnerable workers and amplifying diverse voices.

After starting as a commercial litigator at global law firm Baker McKenzie, Khushaal transitioned to community law, becoming a Senior Solicitor at Youth Law Australia, a national legal centre providing free advice and representation to anyone under 25. Specialising in employment law, he advocates for young people facing unfair dismissal, underpayment, workplace exploitation and sexual harassment. Khushaal regularly travels interstate and to regional communities in NSW and the Northern Territory to deliver outreach programs and legal education, ensuring that young Australians wherever they may be have access to justice.

Beyond his legal practice, Khushaal teaches Employment Law at the University of New South Wales, shaping the next generation of legal professionals. His commitment to equity extends to governance and policy, serving as a Board Director of Youth Action NSW and as a member of the Multicultural NSW Advisory Board, where he advises on multicultural affairs and social cohesion.

Khushaal is also a prominent voice in public discourse, contributing commentary on law reform, social justice and diversity to leading publications including the Sydney Morning Herald, ABC, Guardian, Crikey, Pedestrian and Indian Link. His advocacy reflects a deep belief in the power of dialogue and representation to drive systemic change.

Recognised with the Multicultural NSW Youth Medal, Khushaal has co-founded outreach and education programs for Indigenous and multicultural communities across Western Sydney and regional NSW. His leadership continues to influence government, tertiary and commercial organisations on issues of inclusion and international engagement.

Away from his professional commitments, Khushaal is a self-confessed cricket purist which means he is absolutely loving the end of “Bazball” in this Ashes series.

As an Australia Day Ambassador, Khushaal celebrates the values of fairness, diversity and community. For him, Australia Day is an opportunity to reflect on the strength of our multicultural identity and inspire young Australians to speak up, stand together and shape a future built on equality and respect.