Champagne corks would have been popping around Gibbston last night as news broke the tiny community had been named the 2011 New Zealand Community of the Year.
At a gala dinner in Auckland last night, Gibbston Community Association chairwoman Susan Stevens accepted the award on behalf of her community for its outstanding community development achievements.
Most recently, the community opened the $1.4 million Gibbs-ton River Trail, which stretches 8.5km alongside the Kawarau River and took six years to complete.
It is expected to attract 20,000 people annually.
Other finalists in the award were the Aotea Family Support Group, from Great Barrier Island and Canterbury Charity Hospital, in Christchurch.
New Zealander of the Year is is scientist Sir Paul Callaghan.
For more than 30 years, Sir Paul (63) had shown outstanding leadership as a scientist, teacher and communicator, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology and magnetic resonance.
Awards patron Jim Bolger said Sir Paul had done much to raise the profile of New Zealand as a leader in the science field.
Sir Paul said he was "humbled and honoured" to receive the award, "especially when there are thousands of people who are making enormous contributions to New Zealand every day".
"My hope is to make science and innovation a core part of our country's future and to encourage more talented young New Zealanders to take every opportunity they can."
Also honoured in Auckland last night were Alison Neill (78), of Fairlie, South Canterbury, named the Senior New Zealander of the Year for providing more than 30 years of voluntary care to the elderly; Jamie Fenton (17), of New Plymouth, named the Young New Zealander of the Year for her work as an inventor and inspirational role model to New Zealand children; and Billy Graham, of Lower Hutt, awarded the Local Heroes Award for his extraordinary work creating programmes for at-risk youth.
Each winner received a handcrafted trophy and $5000 towards their work from principal sponsor Kiwibank.
