White Pages Covers Program

Courageous Australians Peter Newall and Lenny Cairns to feature on Burnie's Yellow Pages® and White Pages®

April 28, 2010

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Each year, locals are featured on the covers of the Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories in recognition of the contributions they make to their communities. Under the theme Courageous Australians, this year directories producer, Sensis, is recognising courageous people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to overcome adversity and help others in their time of need.

After receiving nominations from community members for the annual honour, Port Sorell and Zeehan residents, Peter Newall and Lenny Cairns have been selected to appear on the cover of this year’s Burnie directory which is distributed to the North West and West Coast of Tasmania.

Peter Newall and Lenny Cairns are two local fishermen who put their own lives in danger to courageously go to the aid of two men stranded in the middle of the ocean.

While out fishing in the early hours of the morning in April 2007, Peter and Lenny went to the rescue of two men who were struggling to stay afloat after their boat was swamped at Pieman Heads in heavy seas.

The pair travelled 30 minutes by boat to reach the vessel and arrived to find one of the victims almost unconscious. He had attached himself to the bow of his boat, the other man was not to be seen. Peter and Lenny managed to cut the rope that was tangled around the victim and dragged him to safety before he was lifted from the boat by police helicopter.

Peter and Lenny continued to search for the other victim in dangerous conditions but tragically, he died at sea.

“We didn’t think twice when we heard the screams; it is human instinct to rush to the aid of someone in need of help. The guy was very distressed and we are glad that we were able to help him. We don’t think of ourselves as courageous, we were just doing what we believe any other human being would’ve done in the same situation,” said Peter and Lenny. 

For their efforts, Peter and Lenny received a High Commendation from the Police Commissioner and a Bronze Medal from the Royal Humane Society.

Distribution of Burnie Yellow Pages® and White Pages® is planned to start on 1 May 2010 and it will take approximately six weeks for the directories to be delivered to all households. 

Sensis encourages residents and businesses to recycle their old directories. In most areas, Yellow Pages® and White Pages® can be recycled as part of normal kerbside recycling services. Visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au to find out about recycling services in your area. 

Did you know? The past three local people who appeared on the Burnie Yellow Pages® and White Pages® cover were: 

2009/10: Michelle Walker from Wynyard featured on the Yellow Pages^® and White Pages^® cover under the theme ‘Creative Australians: Inspiring our Communities’. Michelle founded Wynyard’s first and only community arts space, Artscape.com 

2008/09: Igor van Gerwen from Anvers Confectionery in Latrobe was the ‘Celebrating Australian Flavour’ theme cover hero, recognised for creating some of Australia’s most mouth-watering confections 

2007/08: Gerald Kay from Burnie appeared on the 2007/08 Yellow Pages^® and White Pages^® ‘Champions of our Community’ cover for helping to raise money and instigating the improvement of facilities in Circular Head