Ever since she started volunteering her time to assist Carenne School's swimming program in the early 1970s, Libby Loneragan has spent the last five decades dedicated to helping Bathurst evolve and prosper as a community, whether it be through the health, arts or heritage sectors.

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For her efforts, Ms Loneragan has been named the Bathurst Citizen of the Year for 2022, and while humbled by the honour, she acknowledged that there's a number of people in the community who are just as deserving.

"I'm proud of what I've achieved, but there truly are so many people in the community who work tirelessly to make Bathurst a better place for everyone," she said.

"For example, we're lucky to have someone like Jim Schaerf, who has spent many years collecting litter from Bathurst streets on his daily walks; it's the unsung citizens who truly deserve the recognition."

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But with that said, Ms Loneragan's dedication to Bathurst has traversed a variety of avenues.

Her 56-year tenure as a physiotherapist has been well documented in this publication, having recently received the Western NSW Local Health District's Allied Health Professional of the Year Award.

But Ms Loneragan is also a passionate advocate for the arts, heritage and recreation sectors, having spent many years as a core member of the Bathurst Arts Council, Bathurst and District National Trust and Riding for the Disabled [RDA].

"My role as a physio helped me realise the satisfaction in making a difference in the lives of others," she said.

"Through the Arts Council, we were able to help bring the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre into being, the National Trust has brought heightened awareness to local heritage assets, and the RDA provides a vital recreational activity for people with a disability; it's all about the positive changes you can help contribute to.

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"What has always kept me grounded is the broad demographic of people that each organisation has exposed me to; Bathurst is such a vibrant community and a wonderful place to live, and there's plenty of room for the town to prosper."

Ms Loneragan has lived in Bathurst since 1969, and is the first to be awarded Citizen of the Year in two years after the title wasn't presented in 2021 due to the pandemic. The last Citizen of the Year to be named was Bob Cassidy in 2020.

No Young Citizen of the Year has been named for 2022.

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