Garry Munday is the 2022 Australia Day Kempsey Citizen Of The Year

Mr Munday was awarded the honour at the Slim Dusty Centre on January 26 for the Australia Day Ceremony.

As a teacher, sportsperson, historian, author, volunteer and Rotarian, he has played a positive role in the lives of many in the shire since he took up residency here in 1977.

He has been involved with many local sporting clubs including Kempsey Cannonballs and Mid North Coast Rugby Union where he has life memberships at both and still motivates school children and sports-persons in the Macleay Valley.

Mr Munday retired from teaching in 1999 and from here, he followed an interest in the Macleay Valley's history volunteering for the Macleay Valley Historical Society where he is currently the Vice President.

He has produced many journals documenting past events that have shaped the Macleay's history, they include - 'The Kempsey/Armidale Road - The Forgotten Link?' Riverboats of the Macleay, The game they play in Heaven - and on the Macleay, The First 100 Years of horse-racing in the Macleay Valley and others.

Mr Munday said it was very humbling to receive the award.

"It's a great honour and something I never would of thought would be possible," he said.

"I looked at the people who were involved and thought 'wow', but in as much of my time on the Macleay (45 years) it is a reasonable assumption that you are going to get involved in things, and for me that was sport, school and civic things."

During his ceremony speech, Mr Munday finished off asking whether he can truly be considered a local.

"A couple of very good friends that have been in Kempsey all their life say to me: 'yeah but you're not a KB' (Kempsey born), I'm wondering now if I'm close, thank you very much," he said.

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