Good Neighbour of the Year 2025 winner Gary McLeish with Mayor Chris Homer and sponsor Angela Hales from Accounting Professionals. Photo: Shellharbour City Council.
Described as a “great Aussie bloke”, Albion Park Rail resident Gary McLeish’s tireless efforts in helping others has led him to be awarded Shellharbour’s Good Neighbour Of the Year.
Gary has lived on Conifer Street for 50 years, as the first resident on the block – and for decades, his small acts of kindness have made such an impact that his neighbours nominated him for this year’s award an impressive seven times.
“When the gentleman rang me from the council, I thought he was having a go,” he said, laughing.
“He said, ‘You’ve been nominated’. I said, ‘Mate, I think you got the wrong bloke here.’”
Admitting to feeling quite humbled by it all, his reaction reflected the genuine nature of his community contributions and embodies the true meaning of community spirit.
He’s always ready to lend a hand, whether it’s practical assistance such as mowing lawns or putting out garbage bins, to more substantial help, such as carpentry or welding, or assisting a new neighbour in renovating and maintaining their property.
“I’ve been helping the young bloke that has only been moved in probably 18 months or so and the house wasn’t left in a good state,” he said.
“So we’ve been doing a lot of yard work and trees.”
He said he’d made a set of ramps for a couple down the road to make it easier for them to get their caravan out.
“Whatever the people want, I tend to fix them up,” he said.
Gary said that willingness to lend a hand to a neighbour came from being raised with strong values of helping others.
“We were used to always helping everybody, but I think today nine out of 10 people would step over you and keep walking, which is sad, actually,” he said.
“Hopefully with our kids, we’ve taught them a bit better than that.”
He also hoped that his acts of kindness would be passed forward and flow through future generations.
“I think it brings people closer together in the long run,” he said.
Gary said while he hadn’t had a chance to get around to everyone in the street to thank them, he was really appreciative of what they had done.
As one of Gary’s nominators put it: “You can’t buy good neighbours. You can only hope you have them”.
Runner-up in the award recognising people who make their communities better places to live, work and thrive, was Albion Park’s Jennifer Davies, with honourable mentions going to Albion Park’s Daniel Goodway, Shellharbour’s John and Mitz Perez, Oak Flats’ Lyn and Peter Oldfield, Blackbutt’s Ron and Margaret Godsman, Albion Park Rail’s Sandra Cossa, and Flinders’ Nathan and Ally Campbell.
Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer said he was inspired by the incredible acts of kindness, generosity, and selflessness that Shellharbour residents showed every day.
“People like Gary and Jennifer, along with countless others, make Shellharbour a better place simply by being there for each other,” he said.
This year’s Street of the Year, Stubbs Road in Albion Park, was recognised for its incredible community spirit.
Every December, the street transforms into a festive wonderland, complete with Christmas lights, music, and a Santa parade that attracts thousands of visitors.
However, it’s proven it’s not just the holidays that make Stubbs Road special, with neighbours sharing tools, caring for pets, and lending a hand whenever needed, creating a welcoming, tight-knit community year-round.
For more than two decades, the Good Neighbour Awards have recognised the unsung heroes of Shellharbour, part of Relationship Australia’s National Neighbour Day celebrations, held each March.
