Maureen Rush, from War Widows Queensland, receives Order of Australia Medal 2023

A Gympie stalwart is humbled to receive an Australia Day award for her unwavering dedication to caring for war veterans, widows and community groups.

A “humbled” community stalwart has been recognised for her service to veterans and their families in Gympie with a medal of the Order of Australia.

Maureen Rush has helped war veterans and widows in the Gympie and wider areas for about 10 years as a member of multiple associations.

Mrs Rush said it felt “out of this world” and she never expected to receive the high recognition.

“I was gobsmacked,” she said.

“I just could not believe it, I really couldn’t.”

The OAM was a surprise to Mrs Rush as she never thought about awards during her years of veteran work.

Mrs Rush considered if she should accept the award at all, questioning if she was worthy of the honour.

She decided she should accept the OAM “with graciousness” after thinking of the unknown person who went to the extensive trouble of nominating her.

She said her first instinct was to call her daughter to share the great news, but had to keep the secret to herself for two months until Australia Day.

“I’d like to thank the person that nominated me,” she said.

“I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing as long as I can.”

Maureen Rush received an OAM for her work with veterans and their families.

Mrs Rush has been a board member of Australia War Widows Queensland since 2019 and has been the president of the Gympie Branch since 2015.

Mrs Rush is also the secretary of the Vietnam Veterans Association Gympie and president of the Legacy Laurel Club.

She joined the Legacy Laurel Club and War Widows Association in late 2012 following the passing of her husband.

She said it was her “absolute pleasure” to look after younger widows within the associations, and despite tough Covid times, supported many members over the phone.

Mrs Rush frequently lays wreaths at many memorial services on behalf of War Widows.

Mayor Glen Hartwig and Gympie War Widows president Maureen Rush at the War Widows luncheon on Friendship Day.

Despite her extensive travelling since 2012, it was “always lovely to come home” to her country.

Mrs Rush spoke on the importance of reconciliation and acknowledgment with the First Nations people on Australia Day.

“We can’t go back in history and change it, we have to acknowledge it,” she said.

“Reconciliation is probably our biggest thing for Australia.”

Referring to the controversy on changing the date or name of Australia Day, Mr Rush questioned if changing date would make the history any less hurtful for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Mrs Rush is also the Quilts for Valour Gympie organiser and the contact person for the Rats of Tobruk Gympie and South Burnett region.

Mrs Rush is the St Patrick‘s Parish Council president, Gympie Widgee Probus Club treasurer and a former board member of the Beechwood Aged Care Community at the Sunshine Coast.

She also knits poppies for RSLs and Remembrance Day and garments for neonatal infants at the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.

“I knit all year round for charities and for my friends,” Mrs Rush said.