William Faint, Leonard Goode and Christopher Haswell in King’s Birthday Honours

Some of the Greater Whitsunday region’s brightest stars have been commended by King Charles in this year’s Birthday Honours, with one saying that they still love their community even after years of service.

Some of the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region’s brightest stars have been commended by King Charles in this year, with one saying that they still love their community even after years of service.

Two Greater Whitsunday community leaders will be awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) and a third generation veteran ambulance officer will receive the Ambulance Service Medal.

William ‘Bill’ Faint of Clermont, Leonard ‘Len’ Goode of Sarina, and Officer Christopher ‘Chris’ Haswell have been commended in the King Charles Birthday Honours List for 2024.

Former Belyando Shire councillor Bill Faint said several times he just felt “very, very fortunate” to have done so much for Clermont, including his fifty years of work with the rodeo and the Clermont Show Society.

“Well I suppose I was born and bred here … I’ve got so many friends here and you know everybody and everybody knows you,” Mr Faint said.

Bill & Ross Faint. Photo: Contributed

“I’m very fortunate, I’ve had very good health and I’ve knocked the body about a little bit rodeoing and working and that, but here I am.

“I’ve had a lot of luck with my family ... very much involved in the show society, and I still compete with cattle and what have you there.”

Mr Faint helped spearhead funding for the Clermont Showgrounds in the early 1980s alongside Rob Whelan and were recognised by two pavilions being named in their honour.

Former butcher Len Goode is now a life member to five separate organisations in his hometown of Sarina: Apex Club, Lions Club, Sarina Junior Rugby League, Sarina Senior Rugby League, and the Sarina Leagues Club.

Len is the chief organiser for Sarina Lions Club at major events the club attends, including the Grasstree Beach Bike Races and the Sarina Show.

Leonard Goode. Photo: Becca Bannan

Born in Mackay at the Cromer House on November 26, 1940, he grew up in Mackay until the family relocated to Sarina and later left school to begin a butchers apprenticeship with Petersen Brother’s Butchers.

Mr Goode is also an integral leader in the Sarina Swimming Pool construction committee, the Apex Mardi Gras Committee, and the Clean Up Australia Day Campaign.

Officer Christopher (Chris) Haswell, an Advanced Care Paramedic at Mackay Ambulance Station, has been recognised for his long and exceptional service over 48 years with an Ambulance Service Medal, but thought the nomination was a scam call at first.

Officer Christopher (Chris) Haswell, Advanced CareParamedic. Photo: Contributed

“When I saw a call coming through from a Canberra number, I didn’t answer it, but heard the message and curiosity got the better of me, so I rang back and that’s how I found out,” he said.

“But I guess it’s not just me this nomination means something to, I think it would probably mean something to my boys too.

“They did it tough growing up - even when they were little and their dad would be home but on call, and then all of a sudden he’d be gone and that was hard on them.”

Officer Haswell has “the QAS in his blood”, as he, his father and grandfather all served as ambulance officers in the then Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade (QATB).

“We have 136 years of accumulated service between us, with my grandfather serving from 1911 to 1960s, my father serving from 1957 to 2010 and I started as an honorary officer in 1975 in Emerald as a 16-year-old, helping the ambulance officers on some of their jobs,” he said.

“Growing up with a family tradition of working with the ambulance was something I was familiar with and found fulfilling, as even from a very young age I enjoyed helping people.”

Recognised as an accomplished clinician able to remain calm during some of the most time-critical incidents and mentor junior officers over the years, QAS Commissioner Craig Emery ASM said Officer Haswell was a “genuine unsung hero” who “epitomises the best qualities” of a paramedic.