Toowoomba’s 2023 Australia Day Honours List recipients revealed

The 2023 Australia Day Honours List recipients have been announced with multiple Toowoomba residents awarded. See who made the list and read their incredible stories here.

Rhylea Millar

@rhylea__millar

7 min read

January 25, 2023 - 10:00PM

Toowoomba Chronicle

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Thousands across Australia have received honours and awards to recognise their various achievements and service as part of this year’s Australia Day celebrations.

Governor-General David Hurley congratulated the 1047 Australians featured on the 2023 Honours List, including three Toowoomba residents, who have each been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

“The recipients have had a significant impact at the local, national and international level and are, quite simply, inspiring,” the Governor-General said.

“They go above and beyond, are from all over the country, and contribute every day in every way imaginable.

The Governor-General of Australia David Hurley. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“These are the people who see us through good times and bad. They’re the first to show up and the last to leave.”

The Toowoomba award recipients will attend a ceremony at Government House in Brisbane later this year.

Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia.

If you know someone worthy nominate them online at gg.gov.au.

Toowoomba's Dr John Cox receives an OAM. Picture: Nev Madsen.

John Cox

Family, hard work and a strong desire to learn all there is to know about the medical field are the secrets to success, according to Dr John Cox.

The retired paediatrician has dedicated his entire life to the field and was nominated for the Australia Day Honours List for his “service to medicine as a paediatrician”.

In addition to his longstanding career as a paediatrician for more than four decades, the respected medical marvel is also a pharmacist, Justice of the Peace and has been a committee member of several organisations.

“I’m my father’s son,” Dr Cox said.

“He was a pharmacist all his life, was in the top per cent of pharmacists in Australia, employed 30 staff by the time he passed and was a newspaper and radio station chairman.”

Originally from Gympie, Dr Cox attended boarding school in Brisbane, spent nine years studying at university and trained in Australia, as well as the United Kingdom.

With initial plans to become a surgeon, the university he attended swayed him into pursuing paediatrics instead – a profession which would later reveal itself to be his calling.

Toowoomba's Dr John Cox receives an OAM. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“Genetics is my thing because it answers questions,” Dr Cox said.

“It’s all about the person you are, the person you’re brought up to be and this is who my dad, my grandad and my great grandad was.

“We have always sought to find the reasons why and invested in hopeless causes.”

Now aged 77, Dr Cox resides in Toowoomba with his wife, who was also a successful doctor, and has three children and eight grandchildren.

“If you marry the right woman you’ll go a long way which I did and if you don’t you’ll waste your life,” he said.

“I’ve done a lot of clever things, but this (award) is about a lifetime.

“If my parents were alive and if they’re still up there somewhere, they would be very happy and that’s the main thing.”

Offering advice to younger generations, Dr Cox said to always give it a go because “if you don’t have disappointments in your life, you’re not trying hard enough.”

Contributions:

Medicine:

• Consultant Paediatrician, private practice, Toowoomba, 1981-2018

• Consultant Paediatrician, Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP), Kingaroy, 2005-2018

• President, Toowoomba and Darling Downs Local Medical Association 1997-2003 (excluding 2001). Former Secretary and Member, over 20 years

• Clinical Senior Lecturer, Department of Child Health, The University of Queensland, 1991-1994

• Inaugural Member, Darling Downs Area Health Authority, 1992-1994

Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ):

• Member, National Private Practice Committee, 2016-2018

• State Representative, 2009-2013, and 1989-1994

• Member, Ethics Committee, 2009-2011

• Member, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee, 2010-2013

• Member, Public Health Committee, 2009-2013

• Councillor, Downs and West Area Branch, four years

• Honorary Life Member, 2018

• President, Toowoomba and District Branch, 1987, and Committee Member, 1983-1989

Queensland Government

• AMAQ Representative, Queensland Fluoridation Committee, 2010-2013

• AMAQ Representative, SIDS Council, 1993-1999

• Inaugural Member, Darling Downs Area Health Authority, 1992-1994

Professional Associations:

• Queensland Representative, Australian Doctors Fund, 1994-2000

• President, Toowoomba and Darling Downs Local Medicine Association, 1999-2000 and 2002-2004, Committee Member, 1996-2014

• Treasurer, Paediatric Society of Queensland 1980-1981

Genetics:

• Non-Executive Director, several plant and animal genetics companies including ForBioLtd, 1994-1999; ProBio America, 1998-2001; ProBio International, 2001-2005; Mid Pacific Plantations, 1998-2000; Integrated Coffee Technology, 2000-2007; Wildman River Estates, 2007-2010; NuPlant, 2011-2014

• Member, Technical Advisory Committee, Gene Regulating Authority of Australia, 2004-2007

Toowoomba's Barry Keleher receives an OAM for his service to the scouting movement. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Barry Keleher

He’s been an integral part of The Scout Association of Australia since the age of 12, but Barry Keleher never imagined it would lead to a prestigious award.

Nominated for his “service to the community, particularly to youth” Mr Keleher went from being a teenage scout to holding a leadership position with the association for more than four decades of his adult life.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting to receive an award when I first joined the organisation as a volunteer,” he said.

“It’s a great honour to receive this award but it’s not just about what I’ve done, but the teams of people who participate in activities and make the effort.”

Toowoomba's Barry Keleher receives an OAM for his service to the scouting movement. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Keleher’s dedication led to the promotion of scout and group leader and district commissioner, before the 66-year-old was appointed assistant commissioner for the Darling Downs – a position he has held for the past 20 years.

“The way I look at it, I hope to leave the world a little bit better than how we found it and that was one of the things (soldier and scouting movement founder Lord Robert) Bayden Powell believed in too,” Mr Keleher said.

“What I like most about what I do is the difference it makes to a percentage of young people … we try to support those young people to grow into great citizens.”

In addition to his scouting contributions, the Rockville resident also volunteers in several initiatives including the Australia Day working group, Darling Downs Review and Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers parade.

This year, the OAM recipient will be assisting the Toowoomba Regional Council with its Australia Day event at Picnic Point.

Contributions:

Darling Downs Region, Scouts Queensland:

• Assistant Region Commissioner (General Duties), since 1995

• Chair, Operation Nighthawk Committee, since 1989

• Chair, Production Committee, Darling Downs Revue, since early 2010s

• Facilitator, Darling Downs Scout Shop, since early 2000s

• Personal Leader Advisor, since 2008

• Acting Leader-in-Charge, Glenvale, Rockville, Crow’s Nest and St Anthony’s Scout Groups, various times

Eastern Downs District, Scouts Queensland:

• Treasurer, 2001-2009

• Former District Secretary

• District Commissioner, 1989-1995

Bunya Park Scout Group Toowoomba, Scouts Queensland:

• Group Leader, 1981-1989

• Assistant Scout Leader, 1980-1981

Community:

• Chair, Toowoomba Australia Day Committee, Toowoomba Regional Council, current

• Committee Member, Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers

• Fundraiser, Biggest Morning Tea, Newtown Neighbourhood Watch

Awards:

• 40 Year Service Decoration, Scouts Queensland, 2020

• Silver Kangaroo Award, Scouts Australia, 2018

Toowoomba woman Jennifer Neary to receive OAM. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Jennifer Neary

Growing up Jennifer Neary was heavily influenced by her late mother who was always giving back to the community she lived in.

So it’s only fitting that her daughter has been awarded with an OAM for “service to the community through a range of organisations”.

“My mum was a very reserved Scottish lady who was always very quiet about her achievements,” Mrs Neary said.

“In fact she won the Royal Red Cross for her war work in Burma and I only found this out when I was 18-years-old.

“She was always heavily involved in charity work and even at the age of 90 she was spending her days helping with Meals On Wheels.”

Toowoomba woman Jennifer Neary to receive OAM. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Despite her long list of volunteering roles over the years, Mrs Neary believed she was nominated for her contribution to QUOTA – an organisation which aims to help disadvantaged women and children.

Feeling humbled but also “acutely embarrassed”, the 76-year-old said the award recognised not only her efforts but all of her QUOTA colleagues and their contributions too.

Sadly due to Covid-19 restrictions, the organisation’s branch closed last year after more than three decades of assisting others.

“When you’re out there working for others, you learn a whole lot of new things about them, the world and yourself,” the Darling Heights resident said.

“A lot of people out there are doing wonderful and worthwhile things that deserve recognition too.

“After living in other cities, I’m always stunned by the huge community participation that occurs in Toowoomba … we’re very lucky to live here.”

In addition to celebrating with her family, Mrs Neary planned to take her QUOTA colleagues out for morning tea to mark the special occasion.