JCU Professor honoured with Australia Day role

The Australia Day Ambassador Program aims to capture the true spirit of Australia Day by sending high achieving Queenslanders to communities across Queensland to support their celebrations.

Professor Leggat, who is based in Townsville, is Professor in Public Health and Tropical Medicine at JCU. He will travel on Monday to Cloncurry and will be hosted by the Cloncurry Shire Council.

“This is the eighth successive year I have been asked to be an Ambassador and I did not hesitate to agree once again,” Professor Leggat said.

“I am looking forward to joining the people of Cloncurry and the Cloncurry Shire to celebrate our national day and also to thank them for their contribution to JCU, especially through health and veterinary placements and workforce development.”

Professor Leggat will participate in the Cloncurry Shire Council’s annual Australia Day celebrations. He will then deliver an Australia Day Address and assist the Mayor and other officials in presenting Australia Day Awards.

Cloncurry is situated 784 km west of Townsville on the Flinders Highway. It is a major pastoral centre and retains a number of heritage buildings from the copper and gold rush days of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Cloncurry has strong links to the early days of Qantas and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, founded there in 1928.

The Australia Day Ambassador Program was established in 1990.

More information about the Australia Day Ambassador Program.

List of Queensland Ambassadors here.

Images of Professor Leggat available here.