Peter Wilkins is to be Bogan Shire Council’s Australia Day Ambassador for 2024. 

Mr Wilkins, who worked for national broadcaster ABC for 37 years, is a respected presenter, commentator and reporter in both television and radio, receiving the prestigious Australia Sports Commission’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 for services to sporting journalism.

“I’m really looking forward to Australia Day in Nyngan and exploring the real heart of the nation in country NSW,” said ‘Wilko’, as he his affectionately known across Australia. 

“It’s a time to link arms and rejoice about what makes Australia so special and why people flock to these shores to join the party,” he told the Western Plains App. 

“It’s a time to reflect on the past but not punish ourselves over it. Looking forward with great positivity, and finding the path to make our ‘one nation’ an even greater place to live, is surely the ambition of all Australians.” 

Bogan Shire Council has been busy in preparation for the visit and will hold a welcome dinner the night before Australia Day with local councillors and their partners ahead of public event all day at Davidson Park.  

Derek Francis, General Manager of Bogan Shire Council says he is looking forward to the visit. 

“We are happy to welcome ‘Wilko’ to our Shire for Australia Day and introducing him to the Big Bogan!” 

A free community breakfast will start at 8am, with the official ceremony at 9am. 

During his years as a presenter and commentator, Mr Wilkins there was barely a sport that he didn’t cover.  

Having hosted two World Cup soccer finals for ABC TV in the 80’s, he was also chief rugby league commentator in the 90’s and represented ABC radio as a commentator at the Sydney Olympics and for over 8 years he was a member of the ABC’s Hopman Cup Tennis coverage. 

Mr Wilkins has also attended four Paralympic Games, commentating on cycling and wheelchair rugby and has represented the ABC on several Kangaroo league tours of England and France, as well as World Cup soccer tournaments in Germany and South Africa, and was part of the ABC TV New team at the 2016 Rio Olympics. 

In 2008 he published “Don’t Rock the Boat”, the emotional story of the Australian women’s eight at the Athens Olympics, going on to win a Walkley Award for journalistic excellence for ABC TV’s Australian Story based on the book.  

The same program collected an Australian Sports commission award and Peter received a high commendation at the 2008 awards for his “Contribution to Australian Sport by an Individual”.