Queens Birthday Honours | Border and North East

Jackson was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in this year’s list.

‘‘It was like when I had the opportunity to take the flag in the opening ceremony in London – in that moment you don’t feel like it’s happening to you, you feel you aren’t important enough,’’ Jackson said.

‘I’m still in shock about it, I’m very honoured.’’

The 34-year-old is also an advocate for rape and domestic violence support services, a champion of United Nations Women and an ambassador for other social causes.

Jackson said her best achievement was still to come as she closes in on finishing her bachelor of gender and diversity degree from University of Canberra. She also plans to study for her masters degree.

Meanwhile, scientists, surgeons, judges, an economist – and helicopter-flying multimillionaire yeast extract salesman Dick Smith — are among Australians awarded the top gong in this year’s Queen’s birthday honours list.

The Council for the Order of Australia panel that selected 519 Australians for honours — announced by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove today — has veered away from previously focusing on celebrities and politicians in the top-tier awards.

Five of the eight most prestigious honours, the Companion of the Order of Australia, were given to people from the medical, science and higher education sectors.

In the previous nine years, just six people from these sectors were made a companion.

This year’s sole Victorian AC, Justice Christopher Maxwell, the president of the Court of Appeal in the Supreme Court of Victoria, was recognised for eminent service to the law and to the judiciary, particularly administrative reform of the appeals process, and as a human rights supporter.

Biologist Steve Simpson, of the University of Sydney, who was made an AC, said it was a ‘‘very fine thing’’ that so many researchers — including Queensland cancer researcher Professor Judith Clements and Queensland optometry professor Nathan Efron — had been acknowledged.

It should put a focus on the need to support science and medical research, Professor Simpson said.

Professor Simpson started his career studying insects, but his findings have led to significant discoveries about human nutrition and health.

The highest-profile AC recipient was electronics multimillionaire Dick Smith, cited for his support of a long list of organisations including Variety Australia, Life Education Australia, CleanUp Australia, and for benefaction of medical research, the arts, and aviation.

Science, medicine and higher education were also well represented in the second-tier honour.

A CHILTERN theatre performer has proven a star turn in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours.

Wendy McDougall has received an Order of Australia Medal for her service to the North East town.

The acclaim follows the secondary school teacher having been a part of Chiltern theatre productions for a decade.

Ms McDougall founded the Chiltern Lions Amateur Players in 2005, after having been involved in stage works at Corowa and Broadford.

Each year she is involved in senior and junior productions.

“I think my love of it started with the fact lots of people work together for the one outcome,” Ms McDougall said.

“Everybody is striving together to do their best, that’s what I like about it.”

Ms McDougall is a member of the Chiltern Emergency Response Team, in addition to her Lions involvement.

“I see a lot of other people doing a lot of things and a lot more than me,” she said.

“I don’t know how I feel about it, I’m still in shock.”

A KNACK for helping community organisations with legal concerns has helped Howlong lawyer Marjorie Nicholas earn an Order of Australia Medal.

The former Methodist Ladies College student has received the prize for service to the not-for-profit sector and the Howlong community.

“I think it’s just amazing that some people and I don’t know who, because you’re not told, would have thought enough of what I’ve done to propose me for it,” Mrs Nicholas said.

“To me that’s a great honour and it makes me wonder ‘why me?’, because I know there are lots of other people out there too.”

Mrs Nicholas divides her time between Melbourne and Howlong.

Her contributions to the Murray River town include drafting a new constitution for the Howlong Country Golf Club and helping found the town’s Probus Club.

Mrs Nicholas has also held a variety of positions at her former school and has been on the MLC board since 2013.

Her community work has included acting for 20 years as an honorary solicitor for Abbeyfield Australia.

A GUIDING light for young girls across Victoria has been rewarded for her service of more than 50 years.

Chiltern’s Lynne Emblin became a Brownie at the age of seven, before emerging as a Girl Guide and Ranger and eventually assuming her title of Victorian State Commissioner.

That dedication has been marked by an Order of Australia Medal for service to youth, through the Guiding movement, and the community.

“This is very humbling,” Mrs Emblin said.

“I’ve done lots over a long time, but I haven’t done any of it on my own.

“If I could break this medal into a million pieces and share it around I would.”

Mrs Emblin, who moved to Albury in 1970 and Chiltern in 1980, believes Guiding plays an important role in developing character.

“What’s astounding about it is what it has to offer girls and women — skills for life, skills they don’t necessarily learn in other areas,” Mrs Emblin said.

“I think we demonstrate and teach resilience, they can cope better in different circumstances when they’ve had experience in Guiding.”

Mrs Emblin added basic skills, such as setting a table or hospital corners on beds, ensured Guiding provided practical help.

“You get invited to their weddings and babies’ christenings 30 years down the track, you can tell then that you have been an important part of their life,” she said.

“In the media you always hear about the bad kids first unfortunately.

“The flipside is the Queen’s Guide getting their award at 17 and they’re amazing young women.”

Mrs Emblin, who oversees 1000 volunteers across Girl Guides Victoria, has travelled from Mildura to Gippsland as part of her commissioner’s role which ends in 2017.

The massage therapist is also still involved with the Chiltern Guide Unit and has been a trainer with Howlong and Chiltern football clubs.

“When I stop having fun with kids it will be time I step aside as a Guide leader, but as long as they are putting a smile on my face I will continue,” Mrs Emblin said.

YVONNE Booth has been acknowledged around the world for her work in piecing together the secrets of Henty’s cemetery and now she has been formally recognised.

The former clothing shop owner has received an Order of Australia Medal for service to the Henty community.

Among Mrs Booth’s most remarkable achievements has been to identify the occupants of 250 unmarked graves at the cemetery.

It took endless hours of rifling through newspapers, searching funeral records and studying grave-diggers’ maps.

“In Switzerland, I met a man whose relatives were buried in our cemetery,” Mrs Booth said.

“I knew the name and the year he was buried and the man couldn’t believe it,” she said.

“It gets in your head and you can’t let it go.”

Mrs Booth moved to Henty in 1967 with her husband, Graham, after growing up in Punchbowl in western Sydney.

She was a kindergarten teacher at Henty Central before taking over a shop that became Booth’s clothing store.

The couple developed branches at Culcairn and Holbrook before she retired in 2008.

Mrs Booth also became involved with Girl Guides, the Uniting Church, Tidy Towns committee and arts groups.

She said the town had embraced the couple.

“We just loved the country life,” Mrs Booth said.

“None of our relatives could believe we would move to the country, but Henty is a good, happy and caring town.”

Mrs Booth, who was regional woman of the year for the Albury electorate in 2013, is thrilled with her latest honour.

“It’s a bit overwhelming,” Mrs Booth said.

“I just think I’m representing all the volunteers that have helped me over the years.

“I guess it needs a leader to start them off or kindle that flame, but it’s overwhelming and humbling to think someone has nominated me.”

HERITAGE-minded couple Frank and Robin Sadler have achieved a feat worthy of the history books.

The Swanpool husband and wife have each received Order of Australia medals for their service to Benalla through various community roles.

“It’s a bit of a surprise, but we have done a lot of things together,” Mr Sadler said.

“I suppose whoever suggested us started with one of us and thought there was so much we had done together.”

Mrs Sadler added: “We do consider it a great honour and it’s a bit unusual, I gather, for two people to get it.

“It’s a bit daunting, but we’re very, very pleased.”

The couple has shared roles in the Benalla and District Historical Society, including the presidency, since joining in 1974.

Their signature achievement has been the development of the Benalla Costume and Pioneer Museum, which they said sprang out of a visit to the English city of Bath in 1981.

Mrs Sadler said they were advised to focus on a speciality for the city’s museum to make it stand out and opted for costumes.

From a single donation of 14 Victorian-era women’s garments, the collection has expanded to 3000 items which have been loaned for exhibitions across the country.

The oldest piece is a lady’s silk brocade dress from 1750.

Mr Sadler’s other community work has included Apex and Rotary club service, Benalla Art Gallery roles, various positions with the Benalla Agricultural and Pastoral Society and CFA and cricket association memberships.

Mrs Sadler has also been part of the pastoral society, Yooralla Society of Victoria and the Guiding movement.

She said her experience as a Girl Guide had informed her community service.

“It was pretty inspiring to be part of,” Mrs Sadler said.

“It was the kind of organisation where if you were asked to do something more and considered yourself to be able to, it would be up to you to have a crack at it and have a go.”

Mrs Sadler hopes the couple’s efforts inspire others.

“I hope so if they can, although people don’t always have the good fortune to do that either individually or as two people, but we’ve been lucky in that regard,” she said.