Finley and district is celebrating alongside Kath Koschel, who last week was named the NSW Australian of the Year for 2025.
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Ms Koschel’s notable achievements include being an Iron Man competitor, a handy state level cricketer and the founder of the Kindness Factory, a global kindness movement, touching the lives of hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life.
And she says a lot of her drive was born right here in Finley.
“It all probably started in Finley, with my grandparents and their influence,” she told ABC Riverina after the announcement.
“I always sort of say, I am bringing the small town to the big town, the art of saying g’day and using peoples names, which is kind of lost in the city.”
Ms Koschel admits to being a little surprised at the win, and even the nomination.
“Not that you do the work for these reasons, but I was very shocked to get the nomination,” she told the ABC.
“Then to be up against some pretty impressive people, I didn’t really give myself too much of a chance.
“Winning was a pretty sobering moment, I’d been doing this for close to 10 years.”
Ms Koschel made her cricketing debut for NSW against South Australia, at the famous Adelaide Oval.
And just as quickly as she made that debut, her career was brought to a screeching halt.
She sustained an injury to her back which required surgery.
When the surgery was completed though, doctors and medical staff had found that there was a complication.
She was about 24 hours away from having a leg amputated when doctors found the source of the problem - a bleed in the abdomen stopping blood circulating to her leg.
She quickly went under the knife again and was able to avoid amputation.
During her time in rehabilitation, Ms Kochel met Jim.
“There was an instant connection, Jim had a smile that could make all of the worries of the world disappear. He was the type of man that made everyone feel welcome” she said.
Kath and Jim had started planning their lives together post rehabilitation, they were in love.
Again though, tragedy struck when Jim took his own life and left this world and a gaping hole in Ms Koschel’s life.
Suffering both mental and physical trauma, it was through the kindness of others during her recovery that she was able to turn what was such a negative experience into positive change for others.
Ms Koschel raised more than $300,000 for various charities and organisations.
Her next feat would come in the shape of an Iron Man marathon, and in 2015 she became the first person with prosthetic discs in her back to complete the feat.
This would be the same year that she founded the Kindness Factory.
Training for her second Iron Man Triathlon in 2016, Kath was struck by a four-wheel drive vehicle while riding her bike and had her back broken.
Having to learn to walk again is no mean feat, but imagine a second time.
But Ms Koschel was up for it and wasn’t going to let anything beat her.
Ms Koschel’s father, Gary, said with support she was able to keep going and keep fighting.
“We are very proud of her, her mother and I,” Mr Koschel said.
“She has been through so much and done so well considering the trauma of everything.”
The kindness she was shown inspired Ms Koschel to start The Kindness Factory, which operates in Australia and the United States.
It is a not-for-profit organisation that focuses on the good in the world, sharing kindness with one another and just trying to brighten the world up a little.
The organisation works in schools and communities encouraging acts of kindness, creating an ongoing avalanche of good acts among communities and around the world.
Its curriculum teaches to children at more than 3,500 schools across Australia and had been downloaded over 60,000 times globally.
“It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world,” Ms Koschel said.
“It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”
Other nominees for the 2025 NSW Australian of the Year were journalist Jess Hill, youth advocate and educator Daniel Principe and police officer Amy Scott VA.
As the NSW winner, Ms Koschel is now a finalist in the National Australian of the Year Awards.
The winner will be announced at the Australia Day celebrations and ceremony in Canberra.
• Anyone requiring crisis support can contact Accessline on 1800 800 944, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. You can also contact the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au.