Everyday dad Bruce Maya from the Gippsland town of Labertouche was today named Victorian Father of the Year for 2009, by Professor David de Kretser, AC, Governor of Victoria in a ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall.

Bruce was nominated by his 10 year old daughter Lucy who attends St Ita’s Primary School in Drouin. She nominated her deserving dad through the Warragul Leisure Centre’s YMCA Local Community Father of the Year campaign. Lucy declared in her nomination: “I reckon my Dad is brave because he fought the Black Saturday bushfires. It (the bushfires) unfortunately burnt our house down. I’m lucky that dad is still here to look after our family. I love my Dad.”