THE calibre of nominees for this year's Port Stephens Annual Awards ensured it was a hard task for the selection committee to whittle it down to a few.
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Thirteen individual Port Stephens residents, the organisers behind two events and teams from two community groups were nominated in this year's awards.
There are seven categories: Event of the Year, Junior Sports Person of the Year, Sport Person of the Year, Port Stephens Service Award, Port Stephens Medal, Young Citizen of the Year and Citizen of the Year.
Winners are to be announced by the mayor of Port Stephens, Bruce MacKenzie, at the Raymond Terrace Australia Day ceremony.
Doug Cross, president of the Nelson Bay Australia Day Committee, was one of about 12 people on this year's Port Stephens Annual Awards committee, which determined final nominees.
"There were quite a few nominees this year and all were excellent," Mr Cross said.
"It was quite competitive in some of the categories."
Mr Cross said the committee received only a few nominations for Junior Sports Person of the Year but many for Citizen of the Year.
Casting aside any prior knowledge committee members may have had on a nominee, all entries were judged solely on the nomination form against a set criteria.
Once the votes were counted, the final nominees in each category were finalised.
The Raymond Terrace Multicultural Fiesta and integratedliving's Black and White Ball, held to celebrate Seniors Week, will vie for Event of the Year.
Liam Kelly-Sigurdsson, 14, Ebony James, 14, and Lachlan White, 16, will duke it out for Junior Sports Person of the Year.
Kelly-Sigurdsson participates in regional, state and national levels in rugby union, athletics, karate and surf lifesaving.
James has represented Nelson Bay Netball Association for the past three years.
White has won club, state and national sailing titles in numerous classes of catamarans.
The young Medowie sailor is also in line for Young Citizen of the Year against Alannah Newell, a founding and current member of the council's Youth Advisory Panel.
At the age of 17 she actively participates in the Rotary youth program of enrichment, collects money for charities and regularly uses her musical talent to raise money for the Balinese family that her family sponsors.
The two nominees for Sport Person of the Year are Helen Scott from the Nelson Bay Netball Association and hockey administrator Vince Northwood.
The Raymond Terrace Art Space team, Port Stephens Graffiti Action team and Alli Hammett, an advocate of reform for stroke care and services in the health system, are nominated for the Port Stephens Service Award.
Foster carer and entertainer Marshall Reid, Pretoria McGee, a volunteer for the Red Cross emergency services team for Raymond Terrace, and Tilligerry identity Ian Barnett are in line for the Port Stephens Medal.
Mr Barnett, Ms McGee and Mr Reid are all nominated for Citizen of the Year alongside Yacaaba Centre director Lynn Vatner.
