Sure, Christmas is next week and the new year is around the corner, but before you know it, it will be Australia Day!

Recently, most Western Plains Councils have been asking for nominations of local people for their Australia Day Awards, generally awarded in ceremonies in January, 2024.

There is still time in some LGA's to suggest a worthy winner for categories such as Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Community event of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year and more, while in other LGA's, nominations have closed.

The annual ceremonies attract an Ambassador for each council area - a high achieving Australian who inspires with their story. This week, Lachlan Shire revealed who will be their special guest on January 26 - Mr Khushaal Vyas.

Mr Vyas is a former commercial lawyer and is a Clinic Supervisor and Solicitor at the WSU Justice Clinic where he leads community legal education initiatives to vulnerable community groups in Western Sydney and regional NSW. More recently, he has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of the Australia India Film Council and National Co-Chair of the Australia India Business Council’s Young Business Leader’s Chapter.

Mr Vyas has been passionate and active in the social justice and community advocacy space from a young age. As the Fairfield Youth Advisory Committee’s youngest ever member, he was a key advocate for the Fairfield City Youth and Community Centre subsequently built in 2015 and helped to organise large youth consultations, events and conferences.

At university, Mr Vyas co-founded a regional volunteer program to work with community centres and schools in the Dubbo-Trangie and Wiradjuri Community and mentor disadvantaged Indigenous children.

He subsequently directed the award winning “Yindyamarra: A Documentary” which followed the volunteer trip.

Yindyamarra is a Wiradjuri word and way of living. It speaks of respect, but also of gentleness, honour and learning to do things slowly.

"Mr Vyas will join the Lachlan Shire Mayor, Paul Phillips on Australia Day to present the 2024 NSW Local Citizen of the Year Awards at the Lake Cargelligo Sail and Power Boat Club," Lachlan Shire Council media advised. "He will then travel to the Tullibigeal and Burcher Australia Day celebrations later in the day."

A worthy ambassador, since starting work professionally, Mr Vyas has been responsible for organising the delivery of pro bono legal support to several community organisations in Dubbo.

For his work on the Fairfield City Youth and Community Centre and Dubbo Volunteer program, Mr Vyas was awarded the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Youth Medal and Australian Student Leader of the Year.

Continuing his multicultural advocacy, he currently is on the NSW Office of Sport’s Multicultural Advisory Committee and is a freelance journalist where he regularly writes about issues pertaining to discrimination, representation, multiculturalism and politics. For his writing, he was acknowledged as a finalist for young journalist of the year at the 2021 PMCA Awards.

Outside of this, Mr Vyas said he is a GWS Giants Fan. He is also a Bollywood dance choreographer and lists that his greatest ambition is to stand up to the seagulls who keep stealing his lunch.

Mr Vyas' film, Yindyamarra: A Documentary ban be seen here