Frankston residents and community organisations were recognised at the 2026 Citizens of the Year awards, presented at a ceremony at Frankston Arts Centre.
The awards highlighted local contributions across environmental action, youth leadership and access to legal support.
Citizen of the Year: protecting Frankston’s coastline
Local volunteer Peter Talbot was named Frankston City’s 2026 Citizen of the Year for his leadership of 3199 Frankston Beach Patrol.
Since 2017, Mr Talbot has coordinated beach clean-ups along Frankston’s foreshore, worked with schools and community groups, and supported initiatives aimed at reducing litter across the city’s 11 kilometres of coastline.
“We remove litter from the beach and foreshore, we raise awareness… and over the years we’ve reduced the amount of litter on the beach,” he said.
Young Citizen of the Year: youth wellbeing and community support
The 2026 Young Citizen of the Year award went to Quinney Brownfield, recognised for work linked to headspace Frankston and Peninsula Rotaract.
Through Rotaract’s Toothbrush+ initiative, he has helped deliver hygiene products to community support services used by vulnerable residents. He also serves on headspace Frankston’s Youth Advisory Council, contributing lived-experience perspectives to local mental health discussions.
“It’s really a statement to young people in Frankston that you can do whatever you want to do if you really put in the hard work,” he said.
Community Group of the Year: legal help for Frankston residents
Peninsula Community Legal Centre Inc. was named Community Group of the Year, recognising its long-running provision of free legal assistance and advocacy.
Operating since 1977, the centre supports people who live, work or study in Frankston and surrounding suburbs. Over the past year, it assisted more than 1,600 Frankston residents through thousands of legal activities, alongside community education and outreach.
Board chair Matthew Bolle said the organisation’s work extends beyond casework to broader advocacy.
“It’s not just the legal services we provide, but the advocacy for positive change in the community,” he said.
Citizenship ceremony also held
The awards coincided with a citizenship ceremony welcoming 100 new Australian citizens to Frankston. New residents were reported to come from 17 countries, with the event also featuring performances by the Frankston Ladies Choir.
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