Yass Valley Council Honours Long-Serving Councillors with Long Service

Yass Valley Council Honours Long-Serving Councillors with Long Service

Published on 29 January 2026

Yass Valley Council was delighted to honour two of its most dedicated and long-serving Councillors with Long Service Awards, recognising decades of unwavering commitment to community service and local government.

Councillor Cecil Burgess OAM was presented with a Long Service Award marking 30 years of service to the Yass Valley and Gundaroo communities, while former Yass Valley Mayor Councillor Allan McGrath was acknowledged for more than five decades of community service, including 32 years in local government across two councils.

Councillor Cecil Burgess OAM

Now in his 31st year on Yass Valley Council, Councillor Burgess' service reflects a lifetime of dedication to both council and community. In 2018, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for "service to local government, and to the community of Gundaroo and Bowing".

Tributes flowed from former Mayors, including John Glover OAM and Ken Helm AM, who remarked, "Good old Cec - well done!" Former Mayor Nic Carmody OAM added, "Thank you not just for your longevity of service, but for the honesty and integrity you have always brought in representing the people of the Yass Valley. A great citizen and an even better bloke."

A farmer all his life, Councillor Burgess is rarely found behind a desk. As was warmly acknowledged on the day, calls for advice are often accompanied by the sounds of lambing, hay cutting, shearing and working dogs. Despite being in the middle of a busy shearing season, Cec took time to once again mark Australia Day with the community.

Council also acknowledged Cec's wife, Jeanette, for her steadfast support through three decades of meetings, long nights and community commitments.

During his time on Council, Councillor Burgess has served on numerous committees, including saleyards, Australia Day, weeds and noxious plants, and bushfire management. Whether advocating for rural roads or ensuring cemetery access for elderly residents, he is consistently the first to speak up. He also played a vital role on the selection panel for Council's Chief Executive Officer and was a trusted advisor during recent advocacy for drought relief for farmers.

Beyond Council, Cec's community service is extraordinary:

• Rural Fire Service: Joined the Gundaroo Fire Brigade at age 17 and has served with the RFS for 58 years, including roles as Senior Captain at Gundaroo, Senior Deputy Captain at Back Creek, and Deputy Captain at Bowning.
• Community Groups: Volunteer service with the Gundaroo Soldiers Memorial Hall, Gundaroo Progress Association, Gundaroo Literary Institute and Gundaroo Landcare.
• Education & Youth: Former committee member of the Bowning Public School P&C and President of the Gundaroo Public School P&C for three years, as well as service on the Gundaroo School Council.
• Events: Longstanding involvement in community events including the Gundaroo Bush Races and the Bowning Iron Horse Gymkhana, where he served as President for three years.

Councillor Burgess' contribution represents a lifetime of dedication to Gundaroo, Bowning and the broader Yass Valley.

Councillor Allan McGrath

Council also formally acknowledged Councillor Allan McGrath, former Mayor of Yass Valley, with the assistance of Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Mayor Kenrick Winchester, who attended to help mark the occasion in recognition of Councillor McGrath's service to both communities.

Councillor McGrath's legacy spans five decades, beginning in 1974, with only brief breaks along the way. His service was formally recognised in the Australian Parliament in November 2024.

After first being elected to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, Councillor McGrath's has called Yass home since 1998. He served on Yass Valley Council from 2004-2012 and again from 2021 to the present, including a particularly eventful term as Mayor marked by severe storm recovery alongside the commencement of major infrastructure projects.

Beyond the council chamber, Allan is a familiar and much-loved figure in the community. Alongside his wife Victoria, he is the owner of local business Kidz Blitz, a member of the Mt Carmel Parents & Friends Association, a volunteer guide at Historic Cooma Cottage, and a tireless Clean Up Australia Day campaigner. From the Courthouse to the Memorial Hall alleyway, few details escape his keen eye for a tidy town.

His community involvement also includes supporting youth music initiatives, being instrumental in the establishment and life member of the Men's Shed, and lifting spirits with a well-timed poetic verse. He has been a strong advocate on community issues, proudly marching alongside local nurses for safer ratios and rallying for bipartisan support for Yass water grant funding.

Allan's service - past and present - continues to make a lasting impact.

Yass Valley Council extends its sincere thanks to Councillor Cecil Burgess OAM and Councillor Allan McGrath for their extraordinary service, leadership and dedication to community. Their contributions exemplify the very best of public service.

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