Australia Day Ambassador Announced

Published on 15 January 2025

Council is thrilled to announce the region’s Australia Day ambassador is community advocate and sustainability educator, Joanne Taranto.

Growing up in Tenterfield NSW, Ms Taranto was the fifth generation to have lived on her family farm and, as a child, lived through the extreme drought of the 1990s and saw the devastation and toll it took on her family and community.

She went on to train as an Occupational Therapist, graduating from the University of Queensland with Honours in 2004, and has worked internationally in mental health, community development and rehabilitation settings.

Completing a Diploma in Health Safety and Environment in 2009, Ms Taranto moved into corporate health and safety, working for over 10 years with clients like Victoria Police and as the National Safety Manager for a private aged care provider.

After witnessing the increasing climate extremes of this decade and becoming a mother, in 2018 Ms Taranto co-founded social enterprise consultancy, Good for the Hood, with a mission to create more connected and sustainable communities all over Australia.

Through her efforts, she has been nominated for Citizen of the Year in her own community of Ryde and won several awards including Volunteer Group of the Year for her local campaigns.

Ms Taranto has worked with over 200 local government areas and has appeared on national television and media outlets sharing her passion for good citizenship and sustainability. She is currently working as the co-host of a new Channel 10 television series called Planet Shapers.

She passionately believes in the role grassroots solutions play in strengthening the social and ecological connection of communities, and advocates that everyone has a role to play in making their community or organisation a positive force for good.

Jo Taranto will deliver the Australia Day Ambassador address at the region’s official ceremony at Anzac Park in Gulgong on Sunday, 26 January.

A free barbecue breakfast will be held from 8am along with free coffee and face painting for the kids followed by the formal presentation of Australia Day awards and citizenship ceremony at 9am.