Six Decades of Service, One Man

By Jacob Casha

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When long-time Burdekin local Frank Nucifora heard his name called as the 2026 Burdekin Citizen of the Year at this year’s Australia Day awards, his first reaction was disbelief.

“I didn’t expect it at all,” Frank said.

That sense of surprise is perhaps the clearest reflection of the humility that has underpinned more than six decades of service to the region.

But as he stood on stage clutching the plaque, visibly emotional, the moment marked a rare pause in a life spent far more focused on giving than receiving recognition.

It represented a proud moment for both him and his family, said son Frank Jr.

“He went there thinking he was getting nothing,” said Frank Jr.

“That just shows the kind of person is. He’s just a good-natured person, and we were all proud of him.”

Ironically, Frank’s journey to the Australia Day awards victory began half a world away.

Born in Sicily, Frank arrived in Australia in the early 1950s at just 12 years of age, settling with his family in the Burdekin at a time when language barriers and cultural differences were more prominent than ever.

He says it was his love for soccer, nurtured in his home country, that helped bridge that gap, serving as a natural segue into community work in the Burdekin.

“We used to kick the ball around in Sicily, but not in a team,” said Frank.

“Then the kids here invited me to play soccer for the club, in the team, and I enjoyed the company. That’s when I started getting involved and helping out, even off the field.”

From there, Frank’s impact in the community grew from strength to strength.

In 1966, Frank joined the Rotary Club of Ayr, where he has served 60 years in roles including President, Treasurer and Foundation Chair, twice earning the Paul Harris Fellow. He’s been instrumental in Meals on Wheels, Plantation Park, the Living Lagoon, youth programs, humanitarian initiatives, and countless community events, while also serving as a parishioner at his local church for over 70 years.

“I always enjoyed the company of these committees,” he said.

“Doing all these things together with the other members brought me a lot of joy.”

Simultaneously, he helped build one of the Burdekin’s longest-standing family enterprises. By 1959, he and his brothers had bought Delta Cleaners & Laundry—still operational to this day—later expanding into a mango farm, ten-pin bowling centre, and manufacturing and engineering operations.

Currently 86 years of age, Frank remains heavily committed to his volunteering endeavours, as well as at Delta, where Frank Jr. says he’s far from ready to loosen the reigns.

“Last year, his brother ran him over with a cherry picker while they were cutting down a tree. He broke a heap of bones in his foot, but he never showed it. He was in a cast for months, even came to work in a wheelchair. He just couldn’t stay away,” said Frank Jr.

Still going strong, Frank continues to raise the bar for what it means to serve.

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