Meet Rick

Congratulations to the Latrobe City 2021 Australia Day Citizen of the Year, Richard (Rick) Teychenne, of Boolarra.

Rick is the President of the Boolarra Folk Festival Committee and contributes hundreds of hours to the preparation of the Festival each year. He was instrumental in organising and conducting the 10th anniversary commemoration of the Black Saturday and Delburn fires – despite losing his own family’s property in the 2009 blaze.

Rick supports local residents who have lost their homes to fire, including people affected by the 2019 Yinnar bushfires. In accepting the award, Rick noted that he felt humbled to have received the award among the calibre of the other nominees.

“I am honoured to be in such company,” Rick said. “The Boolarra Folk Festival is a pleasure to present. We have had some tough times running the festival with bushfires, intense rain and heatwaves causing a concern, but somehow we seem to get on with the job of making each festival a success.”