Little did he realise one day someone would be doing the same for him.

Mr Llewellyn, 86, was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to the community of Ballarat. He first learned of his citation last year but it is still yet to fully sink in. 

"I've known for four and half months. I said to my wife Nance they should tell you 10 days before Australia Day because it's a hard thing to keep something like that under your hat," he said. 

"I was surprised and thrilled. You think about all of these things that have happened over the past 60 years and about all the people who you come across who probably deserve one too. 

"I do know a few people who have got an Order of Australia Medal. To be honest I may have helped submit some information on behalf of one of them. I never even thought about receiving one myself."

Mr Llewellyn is a past president of the Ballarat East Rotary Club; former president, district governor and life member of the Y's Men's Club; and former assistant area commissioner of Scouts Australia. 

He was named Volunteer of the Year in 2012 by Museums Australia in 2012 and received the Scouting Australia medal of merit in 1993. 

Mr Llewellyn is still a guide and street performer at Sovereign Hill, and has donated and restored hundreds of items and photographs for the Gold Museum. He was a foundation member of the Gold Museum Society and is a member of the Friends of Sovereign Hill.

"Most things on that list there is something I'm proud of but I'd say the (Scouts) Jamboree was very high on the list," Mr Llewellyn admits.

"It was a lot of work and there was three years of preparation but a wonderful result." 

William Llewellyn OAM

Volunteer of the Year 2012, Museums Victoria

Medal of Merit, Scouting Australia

Past president, Ballarat East Rotary Club

Past president, district governor and life member, Ballarat Y's Men's Club

Past president, Ballarat Woodworkers Guild