The project was established following the tragic loss of Preston Hynam in 2008 and initially assisted local refugees before widening its scope. Each recipient receives a fully road-tested vehicle paired with six months of registration. Beyond vehicle restoration, Hynam actively mentors learner drivers to help them log required hours through the L2P and P21 driving programs. Funding has been sustained through Hynam's personal savings, family fundraising, and a regional business contribution.
Key points
Providing restored vehicles and registration enables disadvantaged young individuals to a…: Providing restored vehicles and registration enables disadvantaged young individuals to access employment and higher education opportunities.
Community programs like L2P and P21 partner with volunteer mentors to ensure young driver…: Community programs like L2P and P21 partner with volunteer mentors to ensure young drivers can log essential driving hours.
State-level recognition as Local Hero places community-led regional initiatives on the na…: State-level recognition as Local Hero places community-led regional initiatives on the national stage at the Australian of the Year awards.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
For some, grief stays with them for a lifetime. But for Australian mechanic Gavin Hynam, the loss of his oldest son became the beginning of a mission that has changed the lives of young people all over regional Victoria. The 65-year-old has put his mechanical skills to work for his community, repairing discarded vehicles and handing over the keys to people who can’t afford transportation. Victoria’s 2027 Australian of the Year Local Hero, Bear, affectionately known as Hynam, has been recognized for his extraordinary generosity.
Personal tragedy sparks initiative that changes lives
Hynam’s dedication to community service started after his oldest son, Preston, died in an accident in 2008, just before he turned 21. And after years of grief, the Horsham-based mechanic has found a new lease of life helping young people tackle financial and practical barriers to independence.
The idea began in 2017, when Hynam met two refugees who had recently resettled in the Wimmera region, ABC News reports. He was impressed by their resolve to build new lives and knew that dependable transportation could make a huge difference…
The teenage prodigy etched his name into the record books by taking charge of Bihar in their domestic tournament opener. At just 15 years old, he bypassed the previous benchmark for the youngest men's T20 captain by nearly two years. Despite the milestone, his debut as Bihar's skipper proved challenging on the field, concluding in a comprehensive five-wicket loss to Saurashtra.
Lingering fallout from the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering scandal has resurfaced after fresh allegations challenged the findings of the original inquiry. A former banned player contends that administrators deliberately insulated key bowlers from culpability to protect team hierarchy, an accusation reignited by revelations in a teammate's new memoir. Despite mounting public skepticism regarding the integrity of the initial probe, national cricket leadership refuses to revisit the matter.
The proactive briefing follows recent sanctions against the Spanish federation, which received a fine and partial stadium closure after fans engaged in discriminatory chanting during a match against Egypt. This fixture also represents the national team's first trip to Madrid since English players endured severe racial abuse at the Bernabeu in 2004. Preparing the squad ensures all players know the exact operational steps to take if discriminatory behavior recurs.