Hills residents recognised with Queen’s birthday honours for their work in the community
Nine hardworking Hills residents have been recognised with Queen’s Birthday honours this year. Read their stories.
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Shock. Disbelief. One even thought it was a joke.
That’s how some of our much-loved Hills residents reacted after being told they were on the Queen’s Birthday honours list.
Governor-General David Hurley described the 933 Australians on the Queen’s Birthday honours list as showcasing the best of Australia.
“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.
“Their efforts have been noted by their peers, they have been nominated and assessed independently as worthy of recognition.”
Castle Hill resident Ray Finn described receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) as a “lovely gesture”.
“I have been a volunteer all my life, I was bought up that way by my parents,” he said.
Mr Finn has lived in The Hills since 1981 and been involved in a range of sporting groups including Little Athletics and Hills Bulls.
But his greatest passion has been his charity work with Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The 73-year-old has spent the last 27 years fundraising for the charity including being involved in the $50 million new house at Westmead.
“I am pleased that I have been able to contribute to the wellbeing of families with seriously ill children from all over Australia requiring treatment at Westmead. The current house has 60 rooms and is able to sleep 370 people,” he said.
Another recipient, Dr Sithamparapillai Seelan from Baulkham Hills said he was “numb” when he found out he was a recipient of an OAM for his 20-years of medical service to the western Sydney community.
“There are so many people who do good work so I thought why me?” he said.
“I am so very humbled to see how far my own life has come since I was a teenager facing the horror of war and near-miss experiences, then disruption of studies in Sri-Lanka, then the challenges I faced in Australia as a new migrant to where I am now.”
Dr Seelan acknowledged he has a “brilliant team” at Bridgeview Medical Practice.
He said he was most proud of his work with people with diabetes and training the next generation of doctors at the University of Western Sydney.
Patrick McCabe from West Pennant Hills said he was “surprised and humbled” to receive an OAM for his services to hockey.
“I’ve been involved with the administration for hockey from a NSW point of view since 1985,” he said.
“My son took it up when we were in Brisbane as a 6-year-old and once I saw the senior club games I just fell in love with the sport,” he said.
“I reckon it is one of the greatest sports for young people.”
Kellyville resident Rosemary Smithson received a Member of the Order (AM) for her tireless work with at-risk and homeless young people.
“I almost fell off my chair, I was absolutely astounded, when I got the email I thought it was spam,” she said.
As the former CEO of the Property Industry Foundation she built a national organisation that engages the construction and property industry together to build homes for homeless youth.
“When I came in it was only a couple of years old, it was a great concept but nobody had taken charge of it,” she said.
“I’m most proud of being able to distribute 22 million dollars in cash to 30 different charities so they could care for those young people.”
Professor Simon Finfer, a doctor at the Royal North Shore hospital and director of intensive care at Sydney Adventist Hospital from Galston was appointed an Officer of the order of Australia (AO).
He was nominated for his service to intensive care medicine, medical research and education, as well as service to global health institutes.
“In a critical care environment you need hundreds of people to work together towards a single goal, I’m proud of developing teams and collaboration,” he said.
“It means that thousands of people are living who would have otherwise died. Trials can potentially affect the health care of thousands around the world.”
THE FULL LIST OF HILLS RECIPIENTS
Raymond Finn (Castle Hill) for services to the community (OAM)
Prof Simon Finfer (Galston) for services to intensive care medicine, medical research education and to global health. (AO)
Bruce Harris (Cherrybrook) for services to veterans, higher education and the community. (AM)
Patrick McCabe (West Pennant Hills) for services to hockey (OAM)
Andrew Woodward (Cherrybrook) for services to the banking and finance sector (OAM)
Philip Ruddock (Pennant Hills) for services to the people, Parliament and to local government (AO)
James Scaysbrook (Kellyville) for services to motorcycling (OAM)
Dr Sithamparapillai Seelan (Baulkham Hills) for services to medicine and professional colleges. (OAM)
Rosemary Smithson (North Kellyville) for significant services to youth who are homeless through charitable initiatives. (AM)