The 2017 Queen's Birthday honours list is the most progressive in Australian history with the top award going to advocates of climate change, same sex-marriage, philanthropists and the nation's leading actress.
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There are some rather high-profile names you might recognise. Actress Cate Blanchett; Ross Garnaut, economist and climate change and long-time adviser to government; Qantas chief executive, Alan Joyce; fashion designer Collette Dinnigan and politicians galore.
Here are some names you may not have heard quite so often. They, too, have been recognised today for their contributions to their communities. It’s just a small slice of the people honoured, of course.
We laud them and we thank them.
Brian Baxter, Launceston, Tas
“I’m a farmer and I’m passionate about sustainable agriculture, and that flows into work with Landcare.”
Few people know the importance of sustainable living and looking after the Earth more than Brian Baxter. The fourth generation Pipers River farmer was a founding member of the East Tamar Landcare in 1992. For more than two decades the quietly-spoken man of the land has been dedicating time to its care and the community. Read more
Dr Leanne Craze, Glen Alpine, NSW
“There’s always been a desire to see what difference can be made and to try and chip away at the stigma and discrimination that people with a mental illness can feel and experience."
Since she was a child, Dr Leanne Craze has dedicated her life to understanding and breaking down the stigma attached to mental illness. Today, the her hard work was officially recognised when she received a Member of the Order (AM) as part of the Queen’s birthday honours. Read more
Bob Findley, Osterley, NSW
“When you sit back and look at the things we've done to help people, well, it makes you feel pretty good,”
Bob Findley was so stunned to learn that he had been nominated for an Order of Australia medal that he did not tell his wife for three days, simply because he had no idea how to. It is for his service to the community through Lions, of which he has been a member for 34 years, that Mr Findley received an OAM in the 2017 Queen's birthday honours. Read more
Helen Hogan, Mount Warren Park, Qld
“The men didn’t let ladies play, only on Thursdays, and they still were only able to play on Thursdays until I came along, and I said that’s wrong.”
A lifetime’s commitment to a sport she loves has earned an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for Helen Hogan, 90, of Mount Warren Park. Mrs Hogan was awarded for services to lawn bowls. Read more
Central Victoria
A writer, an advocate for people with disability and a proud Eaglehawk resident are among the 891 people named in the Queen’s Birthday 2017 Honour List.
The central Victorians will join the company of almost 50,000 men and women recognised throughout the years for their outstanding contributions to communities, and people’s lives. Read more
Karen Stephenson, Oatlands, NSW
“The sport gave so much to me – I’ve traveled the world and had some very special experiences – so I’ve always felt I needed to give something back to the sport.”
Karen Stephenson, winner of three swimming world records, first started kicking her feet and making a splash at the tender age of seven. Her competitive nature saw her training for the Olympic games at just nine-years-old. Read more
The NSW Hunter
The Hunter’s humble heroes have been awarded the country’s most prestigious honours for their contributions across the fields of medicine, education, the arts, community service and sport.
The Queen’s Birthday honours list for 2017 includes former Newcastle councillor Frank Rigby, trauma surgeon Stephen Deane, author Cynthia Hunter, rugby league identity John ‘Choc’ Anderson and Newcastle entertainer Super Hubert, who said he never thought he’d receive an Order of Australia medal. Read more here
Mary Knowles, Rossarden, Tas
“If you’re passionate about something you make the time."
Passion and energy go a long way for Rossarden resident Mary Knowles. It needs to when she manages to be involved in everything from local government to domestic violence support to agriculture. Read more
Kenneth Murphy, Kellyville, NSW
“It’s pretty humbling because for me to be able to do my job properly, it relies on so many other people and their commitment and dedication.”
From fighting fires to being on the frontlines after the earthquake in Christchurch to developing leadership programs, Kellyville firefighter Kenneth Murphy has had a busy career. Chief Superintendent Murphy has been recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours List for his dedication to the firefighter service. Read more
The NSW Shoalhaven
Five people from the NSW Shoalhaven have been honoured in this year’s Queen’s Birthday awards. Kangaroo Valley’s Peter Butler was awarded the AM for service to the community through a range of charitable organisations and for providing and promoting pro bono legal services, Worrigee’s John Downton the OAM for service to the visual arts as a maritime artist and to the community and Mollymook’s Rod Austin the OAM for service to surf lifesaving.
In the military section of the awards, Commander Marc Pavillard, a former commanding officer at 816 Squadron at HMAS Albatross was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for outstanding devotion to duty and performance in naval aviation command and Chief Petty Officer Phillip Hirschausen, also from 816 Squadron, was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) for meritorious achievement in the performance of duty in the field of navy avionics support. Read more about them all
Maisie Scott, Bathurst, NSW
“My dear husband taught us to work, to do something for your community.”
Maisie Scott has spent a lifetime helping others and now she has been announced as an Order of Australia medal recipient. Mrs Scott’s OAM medal was for services to the community of Bathurst, and it pays respect to the many decades of volunteer work she has undertaken. Read more
Susan Shea, Riverside, Tas
“I like to do things to keep me active and contribute to the community.”
When Riverside resident Susan Shea opened up the envelope, she was expecting quite a different congratulations. Instead of her father’s 100th birthday message from the Queen, she discovered she would receive a Medal of the Order for her service to the retiree community. Read more
Des Smith, Nhill, Vic
“I was also very proud. There are a lot of other people that could be awarded this, but someone decided to throw my name into the hat."
State Emergency Services volunteer Des Smith believes more people should step up and help their community. Mr Smith will receive an Order of Australia Medal on Monday for his work with emergency services. He has been an SES volunteer since 1987, which includes being the Nhill unit controller since 1991 and the Dimboola unit controller since 2014. Read more
Sheree Vertigan, Devonport, Tas
“I’m a proud Tasmanian and I think for me winning this honour is another way of saying, ‘I was born in Tasmania, I’ve lived in Tasmania, I’ve worked in Tasmania but I can win a national award'.”
Education has always been and will always be the key to success for Sheree Vertigan. Mrs Vertigan was recognised for her significant services to education today by being named as a Member of the Order of Australia. During her career in secondary education and leadership in the field, both nationally and internationally, Mrs Vertigan has always been driven to make a difference in the community. Read more
