Connellan Airways Trust Chair, Mr. Mark Coffey has announced James Christian to be the recipient of the 2021 Senior E.J. Connellan Award. James will receive $10,000 over the two years of his degree.

James’ love of the bush flourished after moving to Central Australia in 2012 taking up a position with a remote cattle station, following involvement in a large agricultural company in NSW. Since moving to the region James has been an active participant in local community groups and has worked with several stations in the region.   

James is pursuing a Master of Public Leadership and Policy from the University of New South Wales, over the next two years. In his present line of employment as a public servant, James recognises the requirement for clear, concise, and future-proof policy and legislation. 

“Studying in this field will enable my participation in such matters to be much more informed both at work and in the community. As a result of my study, I would like to be able to steer the focus of public policy and its development towards supporting the members of remote and outback communities, who are largely under-represented. I am focused on strengthening the ties between bush people and communities and the rest of the country.” Said James. 

Mr Coffey said “James has strong connections to the bush and has proven his dedication to the outback which is an important element of the E.J. Connellan Award. As remote and rural Australia undergoes rapid change, the need for advocating for positive development is only increasing. We hope that in supporting James, he will remain in the bush and continue to support the advancement of people in the outback.”   

The Award was established in 1988 by the Connellan Airways Trust in honour of the founder, the pioneer Northern Territory aviator and pastoralist, Edward Connellan (known as E.J or Eddie). EJ was man of strong and passionate character, with special abilities attuned to trail blazing. He was a successful pastoralist and a visionary businessman and played a prominent role in Central Australian affairs. 

The Connellan Airways Trust has been supporting outback people for nearly forty years through a variety of grants and scholarships. The Connellan Airways Trust’s purpose is to enable the advancement of people in the Outback, with a focus on education and wellbeing