Mrs Lollback’s tireless work with the homeless and the marginalised members of the community was recognised.

In an interview with Fairfax Media last year she spoke of her endeavour to provide shelter for all people.

"I believe housing is a fundamental human right. It doesn't have to be flash but it has to be safe, secure and a place where you can call home," Mrs Lollback said.

"For Queanbeyan, being right next door to Canberra is a huge problem, because it's a large city with a high cost of living.

“There is an expectation that Queanbeyan would have cheaper accommodation, but because it's actually so central to Canberra it pushes those rentals up."

Emily Alder was chosen as the young citizen of the year, while the Queanbeyan Multicultural Festival was the event of the year.