Former Gladstone mayor, Zonta and Rotary member Gail Sellers gets OAM

A former Gladstone mayor honoured in the King’s Birthday awards has recognised the “marvellous” support her husband, family and friends have given her over the years.

Former Gladstone City Mayor Gail Sellers. Photo Paul Braven / The Observer

Gail Sellers may have been the one with a warm smile, greeting people, giving speeches or smiling for cameras as she tirelessly worked for her community, but her family behind were also doing the hard work for the past 45 years.

The former Gladstone region mayor has been awarded for her long-term dedication to helping the community with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) this King’s Birthday.

While many know her for her advocacy and work on and off for the past 27 years as councillor on the Gladstone City Council (first elected 1988), deputy mayor of the amalgamated Gladstone Regional Council (1997-2008), acting mayor when George Creed became ill and then the council’s first female Mayor (November 2010), Gail’s selfless community work dates back about 45 years after she finished university.

Gail Sellers at her Graduation. Photo Submitted/The Observer

The community stalwart started at age 19 with the Harbour Festival League.

“When I came home from uni, I thought I had to give a little bit back,” Gail told The Gladstone Observer this week.

“I thought ‘it’s your community. You love it. You’ve got to give something back to it’.”

Gail said the motivation behind putting her hand up for council was sparked when she attended a meeting at the now museum and art gallery with 500 other people to discuss where the now Gladstone Entertainment Centre would be built.

“They decided that the Entertainment Centre would go in the main street,” she said.

“I thought that was the most dreadful decision ever.

“There was no street frontage to Goondoon Street and there was no parking.

“I thought I can do better than that and that’s when I decided to stand.”

Gail said that was in 1985 when she had a one-year-old and a four-year-old at home and she didn’t get in that time, which in hindsight worked out.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd meets with former Mayor Gail Sellers at GAGAL's Training Centre, Beckinsale Street, Gladstone. Photo Luka Kauzlaric / The Observer

The former primary school teacher stayed with the league for a year and went on to join other committees, such as kindergarten, primary school and high school parents and citizens’ associations as her two children, Todd and Kirsten, grew up.

Gail studied primary school teaching at CQUniversity from 1977 to 1979 and launched her career at Gladstone South State School.

She also taught at Gladstone West, Clinton and Baralaba state schools.

With her husband, Tony, and business partners, Errol and Robyn Marsh, they conducted Sellers and Marsh Builders within the region for 25 years.

Gail has also been a member of Gladstone’s branches of Zonta International (women’s rights organisation) and Rotary Club for the past 30 years, along with the Gladstone District Sports Foundation Trust started by late Gladstone mayor Col Brown.

The trust provides financial assistance to individual sportspeople up to 25 years of age competing in sporting events at either national or international level.

Gail has also played and coached squash, netball and softball.

Gail has been awarded the inaugural Zonta Club Dianne Leggo Award and is a life member of Palm Drive Junior Sport.

She has also been on the boards of the Gladstone Hospital, Gladstone Area Water and Gladstone Economic and Industry Development Board (GEIDB).

Former Mayor Gail Sellers, former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, CEO Leigh Zimmerlie at GAGAL's 30th birthday "fab" celebrations in the fabrication building. Photo Mara Pattison-Sowden / The Observer

Earlier this year, the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum honoured the community stalwart with a permanent reflection of her dedication – the Gail Sellers Community Gallery.

Gail was shocked when current Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett announced in front of about 500 people at last year’s Martin Hansen art award ceremony that she would be having an art gallery named after her.

When asked why she thought this happened, she humbly answered she didn’t know why.

“The one thing that everyone must remember that people who give back to community and who give a lot to community, they never do it by themselves,” Gail said.

“They always have to have family and my husband is marvellous.

“Tony is very good at supporting me.”

She said her parents, sister and friends also “jumped in” babysitting her children and helping out in all sorts of ways.

“They’ve all stepped up,” Gail said.

“It’s absolutely fantastic to hear that Gail has been recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia,” Mayor Matt Burnett said.

Former Gladstone Mayor Gail Sellers and then Deputy Mayor Matt Burnett. Photo Mike Richards / The Observer

“This is a thoroughly deserved award and recognises Gail’s lifetime of service to the Gladstone community including 28 years on local government from 1988 to 2016.

“Earlier this year I had the honour of unveiling the Gail Sellers Community Gallery, located within Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum, recognising Gail’s passion and unwavering commitment to the arts.

“This OAM is another well-deserved accolade for Gail and further enriches her legacy in the history of Gladstone.”