More than 100 people gathered at the Everton Public Hall for Monday morning's Australia Day celebration, with rapturous applause greeting the announcement of Ruth Kneebone as Everton's Local Achiever of the Year.

Last year's Rural City of Wangaratta Citizen of the Year said she was "very humbled" by the honour, which recognised her decades of volunteering and holding a range of roles on community committees spanning from Landcare to tennis.

Not wanting to focus on herself, Ruth paid tribute to the many volunteers within the hall who were integral to the vibrant and close-knit community - among them local CFA members, including Dave White who spoke about being part of the strike team at the recent complex fires, as well as others who'd been helping with a hay drive for fire victims.

She encouraged everyone, who has time, to step up and help make a difference in the community.

Hall treasurer Yvonne Doonan said the morning's ceremony remained one of the most well attended annual events, with guests particularly thankful for the full Aussie breakfast of bacon, eggs and tomatoes served up by hall committee members.

"It was great to see so many families and children in attendance too," she said.