Prestigious King’s Birthday awards handed out to Victorian local sport stalwarts
Some of Victorian local sports’ most important figures have been recognised for their achievements and service in the King’s Birthday awards.
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The King’s Birthday awards recognise the best the Australian community has to offer.
Local sport is a big part of Australian life and a host of Victorian volunteers have been recognised for their services.
From local footy and cricket to tennis, swimming, and many more much-loved pastimes.
Check out all the award recipients who’s time in sport has made a significant impact in their community below.
RAYMOND STEELE
Order of Australia for significant service to cricket as a player, coach, and administrator.
Cricket Australia
Director, 1999-2008, former delegate, Australian Women’s Cricket Board, two years.
Australian Women’s Cricket Council
Former Director.
Cricket Victoria
Vice-president, 1998-2008, board member, 1987-2008, life member, current.
Melbourne University Cricket Club
Delegate, Cricket Victoria, 1986-2008, president, 1986-1993, coach, 1980-1982, captain, 1966-1967, vice-captain, 1964-1966, life member.
Melbourne University Sport
Member, Blues advisory group, since 1989.
Squash Rackets Association of Victoria
Vice-president, 1974-1976, former chair, men’s and women’s squash merger.
Awards and Recognition
Australian Sports Medal, 2000.
PAUL McCANN
OAM for service to cricket.
North West Metropolitan Cricket Association
Delegate, Black and Red Club member
Pascoe Vale Central Cricket Club
President, since 1996, committee Member, since 1987, former coach, former player, Hall of Fame 2018-19, club legend, 2019, 400 Club, life Member.
ROBERT PORTER
OAM for service to the community of Officer.
Community
President, committee of management, Officer Recreation Reserve, since 1972, chairman, Officer and District Community Association, since
1972, trustee, Officer Union Church, since 2017, volunteer, Officer and District Scout Group, since 1970s, former committee member, Officer and District Hall.
Rythdale Officer Cardinia Football Club (Officer Senior Football Club)
Former committee member, senior coach, 1966-1967 and 1990-1992, under-15s coach, 1980-1981 and 1983-1985, life member, 1988, player, 1955-1965.
Officer Primary School
Member, centenary celebration committee, 1985-1986, council committee member, 1970-1980.
Officer Cricket Club
Former Committee Member, player, 1959-1975, life member.
Awards and Recognition
Senior Citizen of the Year, Cardinia Shire Council, 2020, Stan Henwood Award, Cardinia Shire Council, 2005, Paul Harris Fellow, 2018-2019.
MAX PAPLEY
OAM for service to the community of the Cardinia Shire.
Lang Lang Bendigo Community Bank
Volunteer director, 1998-2019, inaugural chair, 1998-2008.
Bunyip Recreation Reserve
President, grounds management committee, member, grounds management committee.
Cardinia Shire
Mayor, 2000, councillor, Westernport Ward, six years
Community
Chairman, Lang Lang Community Recreation Precinct, president, Lang Lang Township Committee Sporting Achievements.
Williamstown Football Club
Team of Century, Hall of Fame, 2014, Legend, 2017, captain-coach, 1968-1972.
Sport
Coach, Bunyip Football Club, 1974-1975, player, South Melbourne Football Club, 1964-1967, captain-coach, Moorabbin Cricket Club, 1962-1963.
Awards and Recognition
Cardinia Shire Citizen of the Year, 2004.
GWENDOLINE CHISHOLM
OAM for service to the community of Berrigan.
Ladies Auxiliary, Berrigan Football Netball Club
Former President, life Member, 1993, member, 1964-2018.
Berrigan Cricket Club
Former catering co-ordinator, life member, 1993, member, 1964-2018.
Sport
Belle of Belles, Murray Valley Football League, 1961.
Awards and Recognition
Volunteer recognition award, Australian Football League, 2018, Club Person of the Year, Berrigan Football Club, 2017.
PHILLIP COLLINS
OAM for service to primary industry and to the community of Lockington.
Australian Angus Society (Angus Australia)
Former board member, former chair, Victorian branch, three years, member, 54 years, honorary life member, 2000.
Central Angus Region Committee, Angus Australia
Former Chair, life member.
Australian Pig Society
Former vice-president, former council member.
Other Primary Industry
Life member, Royal Agricultural Show Society.
Lockington Community Care Committee
Vice-president, ~20 years, founding member, since 1992.
Lockington Lions Club
Former president, member, ~50 years.
Tennyson fire brigade, Country Fire Authority
Former Volunteer, life member
Lockington Football Club
Former committee member, life member
Community
Former councillor, South Riding District, Rochester Shire Council, former representative, Bendigo Creek Trust, former committee member, Milloo hall committee, 40 years.
DIANNE SPARK
OAM for service to the community of French Island.
French Island Cricket Club
Secretary, since 1978, scorer, since 1965, life member.
French Island Community Association
Former Secretary, current member
Community
Secretary, French Island Hall Committee, since 1976, secretary, French Island Country Fire Authority, 1980-1985, school president, Perseverance Primary School, 1991-1999, foundation member, French Island Landcare Group, 1989.
LANCE BOSWELL
OAM for service to the communities of Albury and Howlong.
Rotary District 9790, Rotary International
Chair, finance committee, 2009-2010, chairman, vocational service committee, one year.
Rotary Club of Albury West, Rotary International
President, 1988-1989, former treasurer, board member, 25 years, former sergeant at arms, family host, 10 years, member, since 1985.
Albury West Primary School
Treasurer, 16 years, member, school council, five years, life member.
Albury Preschool
President, six years, treasurer, seven years.
Albury West Preschool
Treasurer, seven years.
Murray District Golf Association
Inaugural President, president, four years, life member.
Howlong Country Golf Club, Howlong Bowling Club
President, 1983-2003, treasurer, 1964-2004, former committee member, 42 years, former deputy chairman, management committee, former member, building committee, life member, 1983.
Howlong Senior Football Club
Committee member, 1959-1963, treasurer, 1959-1962, coach, 1960-1963.
Howlong Juniors Football Club
Secretary, 1957-1958, captain & best-and-fairest, 1959.
Azzi Medal Hume Football League best-and-fairest player, 1959.
Forest Hill Tennis Club
Treasurer, 10 years, former committee member.
Howlong Cricket Club
Former treasurer and committee member.
Sport
Coach, Jindera Football Club, two years, coach, Kergunyah Football Club, one year, player, Cricket Howlong, Jindera and Albury SS&A clubs, represented Rutherglen and District Cricket Association, North-East Victoria Cricket Association, Albury and Border Cricket Association, Southern Riverina Cricket Association and Victoria Country Colts.
St David’s Uniting Church, Albury
Former vice-chair, church council, former treasurer, church council, four years, former member, church council, seven years, chairman, church fair organising committee, seven years.
St David’s Close Retirement Units
Chairman, four years, treasurer, seven years.
Community
Volunteer, Meals on Wheels, Albury West Albury Club, 31 years, founder of the Probus Club of Albury, 1995, former committee member, Lowe Square reference group, five years, former member, Albury Apex Club, 13 years, former treasurer, Howlong Pony Club, 10 years, honorary auditor, various charities, 10 years.
Awards and Recognition
Club legend, Rotary Club of Albury West, 2005, Australian Sports Medal, 2000, Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary Club of Albury West, 1994. Walter E Savage Memorial Prize, first place in Australia in Company Law examination.
CLAIRE HENSHALL
OAM for service to the community of Warragul.
St Joseph’s Catholic Parish Warragul, Catholic Church in Australia
Organist, 1948-2023, recipient, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, 1996.
Warragul Football Netball Club
President, Ladies Committee, 1970s, former canteen manager, life member, 1976.
Marist Brothers and Sion College, Warragul
Former pianist, various concerts and eisteddfods.
JAMES MACLEOD
OAM for service to the community of Melbourne.
The Wellington Collingwood
Chair, since 2015, board member, since 2013.
Blackburn Football Club
Former president, chair, club constitution working group, current, chair, football life membership committee, current, former committee member, football and sporting club, life member.
The Lifesaver Foundation
Chair, late 2010s-early 2020s, trustee, since 2008.
Forest Hill Lions Club, Lions International
President, 2001-2002 and 2002-2003, member, current.
Lions International
Former president and charter member, Lions Club Frankston Burnside, former member, Lions Club of Karingal, former member, Belconnen Lions Club, member, since 1990.
Community
Trustee, Valda Twaddle trust, since 2007, justice of the peace, current.
Tobin Brothers Group of Companies
Managing Director, since 2011, company director, since 2006, general manager, Melbourne, 2004-2010, service manager, 1999-2004, branch manager, Melbourne, 1993-1998, employee, Canberra, 1990-1993, employee, Adelaide, 1987-1990.
Australian Funeral Directors’ Association
National treasurer, since 2019, national councillor, since 2017, Victorian councillor, since 2015.
MICHAEL McLAUGHLIN
OAM for service to the community of Violet Town.
Community
Vice-chairman, Violet Town Action Group, current, treasurer, Violet Town sub-branch, Returned and Services League of Australia, current, member, former player and trainer, Violet Town Football Netball Club, over 30 years, member, Violet Town brigade, Country Fire Authority, since 1997, member, Violet Town Lions Club, 10 years, carer and trustee, Violet Town cemetery trust, since 2019.
Awards and Recognition
Citizen of the Year, Shire of Strathbogie, 2010.
BERNARD SINNOTT
OAM for service to the community of Camperdown.
Camperdown Brigade
Member, since 1973, treasurer, since 1975, secretary, 36 years, communications officer, 18 years, life Member, 2012, life Member, Country Fire Authority, 2012.
Camperdown Group of Fire Brigades.
Secretary, 16 years, group communications officer, 10 years, deputy group officer, six years.
Camperdown Hospital
President, 1989-1991, former treasurer, life member, board member, c10 years.
Camperdown Golf Club
President, 10 years, treasurer, 18 years, life Member, 2018, member, management committee, c20 years, six-time B-Grade champion.
Camperdown Football Netball Club
Past president, secretary, treasurer, player, administrator, Hampden Football League, 2000, MVP, Camperdown Football Club, 2000.
Camperdown Cycle Club
Treasurer, winner, Victorian Veterans Cycling Classic, 1990.
Camperdown Basketball Association
Winning Member, Victorian Basketball Association Country Championship, c1980.
Sunnyside House
Board member, 12 years. former treasurer.
Community
Former volunteer, Meals on Wheels, c30 years.
Awards and Recognition
Citizen of the Year, Corangamite Shire, 2010, national medal, Country Fire Authority, 1st and 2nd Clasp (35 Years), 2008, gold star medal, Victorian Urban Fire Brigades Association, 2008, chief officers commendation for Service Medal, 2016, Fireman of the Year, 1976, 1986, 2002, 2005, 2008-09 and 2020.
LEIGH EVANS
OAM service to softball
World Baseball and Softball Federation (WBSC)
Umpiring director, Oceania, since 2023, umpire in chief – elect, current, umpires’ commissioner, current, chief umpire/deputy umpire of tournaments, including men’s and women’s world championships, Europe & Africa Olympic qualifier, Commonwealth championships, Canada Cup, Japan Cup, since early 2000s, international umpire certification presenter, member, rules committee, peer leader, four-umpire system, international accreditation, 2004, international umpire, six World Cups, including finals.
Softball Australia
Life Member, 2021, umpire in chief technical, since 2015, member, national umpiring committee, since 2002, national umpire examiner, since 2004, deputy umpire in chief – technical, 2007-2015, national umpire rules interpreter, since 2007, umpire in chief, national championships, since 2007, national Level 8 umpiring accreditation, current.
Softball Victoria
Member, Victorian umpiring committee, since 1994, member, SV training committee, 2000-2010, member, allocations committee, 1994-2000, member, state rules interpreter, since 2002, member, state examination committee, since 2007, umpire in chief/deputy umpire in chief/training examining officer/examiner, various state championships, since 1994, involved in developing ‘electronic three umpire rotation system’, facilitator, rules and umpiring courses (players, coaches, scorers, umpires), 2002-2007, life member, 2009.
Junior Western League
Member, organising committee, coach.
Sunshine Softball Association
Member, pennant and protest committee, since 1990, umpires co-ordinator, umpire, since 1989, facilitator, rules lectures and training sessions, since 1993, life member, 2002.
Awards and Recognition
Hall of Fame, Softball Australia, 2015, Victorian Umpire of the Year, 2007 and 2013, National Umpire of the Year, 2005 and 2008, service award, Avondale Heights Softball Club, 1990.
ANGUS MACKEY
OAM for service to philanthropy, education and local sport.
Philanthropy
Epworth Medical Foundation, since 2017, Cabrini Hospital Foundation, since 2011, Girton Grammar School.
Melbourne Grammar School
Foundation governor, current, member, Witherby Tower Society, current, captain of cricket, 1952.
Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club
Foundation emissary, current, chairman, membership sub-committee, 1962-1963 and 1967-1968, chairman, pennant selection sub-committee, 1966-1968, chairman, pennant sub-committee, 1965-1967, chairman, social sub-committee, 1959-1965, chairman, squash sub-committee, 1963-1964, member, general committee, 1955-1968, member, various sub-committees, 1953-1967.
Awards and Recognition
RSY Foundation Award, Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club, 2019.
MOIRA RYDE
OAM for service to people with disability.
Special Olympics Victoria
Former chair, treasurer, director of sport, former director of aquatic, former co-ordinator, numerous State Games.
Melbourne Southern Club, Special Olympics Australia
Sports manager, current, former vice-chairperson.
Special Olympics
Team management member, World Games and Asia Pacific Games, current, former member, international rules committee, Special Olympics International, former member, national sports advisory council, Special Olympics Australia.
Awards and Recognition
Victorian Premier’s volunteer champions award, 2016, Special Olympics Australia Hall of Fame, 2014, life member, Special Olympics Australia, Australian Sports Medal, 2000.
GRAEME WORTHINGTON
OAM for service to the community of the Sunraysia region.
Sunraysia Baseball League Inc, Mildura
Past member, tribunal and pennant committee, Coach, Sunraysia junior baseball teams.
Saints Baseball Club
Inaugural president, c1983-1993, committee member and/or coach, c1983-2003, match sponsor, mental health awareness, current, inaugural life member, founding member since 1983.
Merbein P-10 College
Inaugural council member, 2010-2021, vice-president, 2017, past president and council member, Merbein Secondary College, past president and council member, Merbein Primary School.
Community
Chair, Merbein cemetery trust, since 2017, board member, Rural Care Australia and Chaffey Aged Care, current, member, Mildura Senior College School council, current, supporter/volunteer, Mallee Sports Assembly, since 2006, member, Mildura Workers Bowls Club, current, past treasurer and committee member, Merbein South Cricket Club.
Awards and Recognition
Merbein Citizen of the Year, Merbein Development Association Inc, 2020, 25-year service award, Sunraysia Institute of TAFE, 2017.
JEANETTE WORTHINGTON
OAM for service to the community of the Sunraysia region.
Saints Baseball Club
Past coach, team manager, and/or official, c1983-2003, past co-ordinator, junior program, match sponsor, mental health awareness, current, life member, founding member, since 1983.
Sunraysia Baseball League Inc
Past member, junior committee.
Merbein and District Community Bank
Non-executive director and chair of marketing and development committee, current, company secretary, since 2004, founding member.
Community
Member, Sunraysia liquor accord committee, current, member, Sunraysia Daily Workers Bowls Club, current, past member, Mildura Rotaract Club, 10 years.
Merbein Primary School
Past member, parent and citizens Council, c1990s-2000s, past member, mothers’ club, c1990s-2000s.
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