Queen's Birthday Honours Ballarat 2020: residents recognised for service

Governor-General David Hurley said the list recognised an 'outstanding' group of Australians whose efforts have been noted by their peers.

"In this list we see all the positives that are in our community - we see the great ideas, we see the hard-work, we see the love and compassion for fellow human beings - it's a microcosm of Australia," he said.

Read about the Ballarat region residents who have been recognised on the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

For Judith Fawcett, the Clunes community has been a way of life for more than 50 years.

Ms Fawcett has been honoured with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her years of service to the small community.

"I've been involved in the community in some way since I've been married," Ms Fawcett said.

"Everything from the parents club at school, to agricultural society, it's just what you do as part of the community."

There isn't much within the Clunes community that Ms Fawcett hasn't in some way been involved in.

In 1965, she began a more than 40-year stint as a conductor with the Clunes Community Choir, a role which she said had been "a lot of fun, going around singling in various places."

Ms Fawcett has also been a curator and twice president of the Clunes Museum. She held the presidency roles from 1992-1996 and from 2006-2015.

On top of that she has also been a president, treasurer and current exhibitor, sponsor and steward of the Clunes Agricultural Society and she was named Clunes Development and Tourism Association's citizen of the year in 2006.

Ms Fawcett, from Mount Cameron, has also spent years volunteering her time for the Mount Cameron CFA and was among the first to donate land for the establishment of the branch of the fire authority.

She held a community engagement role with the Mount Cameron brigade for 30 years.

Ms Fawcett said no-one goes out to achieve an honour such as this and it was a privilege she said she didn't believe could be bestowed on her.

"I'm so very embarrassed about the attention," Ms Fawcett said.

"When they rang me to tell me that i'd been honoured, I didn't know what to say.

"I've always enjoyed helping other people and doing what I can.

"I don't know who has nominated me, but it's very overwhelming to receive something like this."

A legend of local government in this state, Haddon's Bill McArthur has been honoured with an Order of Australian Medal (OAM) for his decades or service.

Mr McArthur, a long-time councillor and former Mayor of the Golden Plains Shire has been a champion for local government for decades, highlighted by his role as president of the Municipal Association of Victoria, a position he was elected to four times.

"It was over quite a long period of time," Mr McArthur said of his career.

"I had great support from my family, Lyn left holding the can. It's a privilege and an honour to represent my community for so long. It's quite humbling to achieve some recognition after so many years."

Mr McArthur said his passion for regions began when he first moved with his young family to Haddon in 1981.

"I became involved in the school council, that opened up the world of local politics," he said.

"We used to say, it was anywhere but Haddon. We needed the infrastructure and services for the growing community out here. There was a need for a new school and the general store opened in 1985.

"I always used to say there was a different between listening and hearing and I prided myself on hearing what people were saying."

Mr McArthur said his later role with the MAV gave him a perspective of how difficult it was for council's all across the state to not only provide services, but continue to look after infrastructure.

Long-serving Ballarat general practioner Dr Brian Hassett has been recognised for his service to medicine and to the community of Ballarat with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM).

Dr Hassett moved to Ballarat from Melbourne in 1969 to complete his residency at the Ballarat Base Hospital, before joining a practice as a general practitioner and founding Sturt West General Practice.

"I have had 50 years of medical involvement in Ballarat. It has been a wonderful time," he said.

"I am very surprised (about the OAM), but I also feel delighted. It is very nice to be recognised when you don't expect it."

Dr Hassett was a doctor for the Ballarat North Football Club for 20 years and a general practitioner for Ballarat Clarendon College.

He has served on the board of the Victorian Academy of General Practice, Victorian Regional Development Committee, Ballarat Health Service, Royal Australian College of General Practioners and Ballarat Children's Home. He was also a member of the medical staff group at St John of God Hospital.

Dr Hassett said Ballarat had always had good general practitioner services, but access to specialists and cooperation between the two hospitals had improved dramatically.

"We have all the services now we can reasonably expect," he said.

"Neurosurgery is not going to be done in Ballarat in the near future, likewise, open heart surgery, but just about everything else can be offered in Ballarat now.

"I think one of the great advancements was getting radiotherapy services to regional Victoria. That was a real help for people who were quite unwell - having to travel long distances to get that treatment was pretty demanding."

Dr Hassett retired from medicine in June last year, but continues to be active in community, playing bridge, cricket and walking with the 'eccentric' Ballarat Beagles Walking Group.

Ballarat chiropractor Dr Allan Terrett has been recognised for significant service to the chiropractic profession, to the community of Ballarat and to archery as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

Dr Terrett has served as a chiropractor in Ballarat since 1985 and has contributed significantly to chiropractic education at RMIT University, the Phillip Institute of Technology and the Australian Chiropractic College.

He was a member and mentor on the Chiropractic Board of Australia, a representative on the Australasian Council on Chiropractic and Osteopathic Education and chairperson of the course development committee with the Australian Chiropractic College.

In 1987 he was a foundation member of the Australian Spinal Research Society.

Dr Terrett has been a member of the Rotary Club of Ballarat since 1986 and has been a member of the Wendouree Archery Club since the early 1990s.

After spending much of her professional life taking care of others, Golden Point cancer nurse Sandy Anderson said she may have needed someone to assist her had she not been sitting down when she found out she was receiving an Order of Australia Medal.

"I have to admit when I first got the news it was a good thing I was sitting down because I was really shocked," she said.

"I was surprised, delighted and confused trying to think 'what have I done to warrant this?"

The nurse is being recognised for her work within cancer prevention and Aboriginal women's health.

She said she was grateful for the opportunities she has received during her professional career and added her gratitude towards the Aboriginal community for accepting her.

"It's touching because I feel as though this is a recognition of all the hard work that nurses do.

"I've been involved in cancer prevention for close to 30 years and I've been very privileged to work with the Ballarat & District Aboriginal Co-operative medical clinic.

"When I look at the work I've done at BADAC and feel very proud that I've been able to work within the community and earn their respect."

A co-founder of one of the country's biggest holiday mainstays is being honoured with an Order of Australia Medal.

BIG4 Holiday Parks co-founder Desmond Watts will receive the OAM for his service to the tourism and accommodation sector.

Mr Watts co-founded the organisation in 1979, acting as an honorary chairman through to 1984. Over the same time he acted as a board member with VicParks and still remains a contributor within the organisation.

The Ballarat native still owns a trio of holiday parks, including the BIG4 Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park, which he and his family purchased in 1996, and remains an advisor and mentor within the organisation to this day.

He, along with wife Margaret, two daughters and son-in-laws, redeveloped the property into a holiday park catering for tourists, aiming to craft a design that would be a safe place for children and a relaxing stay for parents.

Outside of BIG4, Mr Watts has contributed to regional tourism across the country as a member of the Caravan Industry Association of Australia, South Australia Parks, Caravan and Camping New South Wales and Gumnut Eco Program.

Locally, Mr Watts served as a Councillor within the City of Ballarat from 1982-1983 and has remained a member and contributor to Ballarat Tourism for the past 20 years.

The OAM will join some of his other achievements over the years, such as his Caravan Industry Association of Australia Eric Hayman Award for Excellence in 1993, and his Legend Award from VicParks in 2009.

At times, all you need is a pat on the back and a push in the right direction from someone to help you achieve your goals.

This is especially true in sport, where any extra support or motivation can prove the difference between winning or losing, setting a personal best or falling just short.

Within Ballarat's swimming community, that helping hand often came from Beverley Horwood, and she is being awarded for her support in the form of an Order of Australia Medal.

When she found out she was to be recognised with the prestigious award, Mrs Horwood said she was nearly lost of words.

"It's all a bit overwhelming," she said.

"I'm very excited about it... it's one of those things that you never think is going to happen to you, it's a very surreal feeling."

Having worked within the Ballarat swimming community for over 30 years, Mrs Horwood said her goal has always been to help young athletes achieve their goals inside the pool.

"You're helping children achieve their goals, whether that be getting to the Olympics or just taking a second off their personal best.

"We have a lot of great swimmers in Ballarat, so to act as a guide in some respects who can help them with something they are passionate about feels great."

A side-effect of being involved with the organisation for so many years has meant Mrs Horwood has literally seen local swimmers grow up before her eyes. She said this has been quite a moving experience for her at times.

"It's been amazing to see a lot of children come through the ranks as young swimmers and grow into confident adults."

She added organisations such as Midlands District Amateur Swimming Association and the Ballarat Garden City (GCO) Swimming Club will always need community volunteers to help young athletes moving forward.

"I first started volunteering because I wanted to help my daughter," she added.

"All athletes need the help of volunteers to keep their sports moving smoothly... that's what everyone wants."

Away from the pool, Mrs Horwood has been an active member of the Ballarat Lyric Theatre for nearly 40 years.

She acted as secretary from 1993 through to 2019, however was always ready to help out however she could, acting as a theatre usher at times.

All in all, Mrs Horwood said community service has played an important role in her life.

"Working within the community has been extremely important for me," she said.

"It's good for the soul and it keeps you involved with what's happening around you... it just feels good to put in the most simple terms."

She has also spent time volunteering at the Charity Christmas Card Shop for the past 30 years and spent 11 years as a volunteer for the Ballarat Citizens Advice Bureau.

Being recognised for her hard work is nothing new of Mrs Horwood, as she was named National Volunteer of the Decade for Sport in 2011 and won the Denis Bateman Award for 40 years Outstanding Contribution to the Ballarat Arts Community in 2019.

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