THERE were Queen-themed parties across the peninsula on Monday as 13 northern beaches residents made the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
The local heroes were recognised for their services to their professions and their communities, and included a medical researcher, boat builder, athlete, two fire fighters, an athlete and a wildlife volunteer.
There were 992 Australians honoured in this year's list, with 45.9 per cent of awards in the general division to women; 43.6 per of awards in the general division for community service, and 92 recipients recognised for their support of Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Captain Gavin Irwin, pictured above celebrating with his family on Monday, from Belrose, was awarded Order of Australia meritorious performance of duty as the Superintendent of the Garden Island Dockyard Precinct in Sydney, where he has overseen the "transformation and modernisation" of the facility.
Lynleigh Greig, from Elanora Heights, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to wildlife conservation. She has volunteered for 11 years to help save the lives of native animals in distress.
Alan Brinkworth, from Terrey Hills, was awarded the OAM for services to emergency response organisations. The former manager of State Operations of the NSW Rural Fire Service volunteered for many years with the Ingleside, Terrey Hills and Warringah/Pittwater brigades and has been the RFS's honorary historian since 2013.
Former Beaches resident Judy Malcolm (nee O'Connor) also received an OAM for service to sport in a range of roles. She represented NSW in both netball and touch football, and Australia in touch football. She has recently moved to Queensland.
Scott Crosweller, from Duffys Forest, was honoured with the Australian Fire Service Medal. The Group Captain has been a member of the Warringah/Pittwater RFS since 1985 and voted as a Life Member of the RFS in 2000. He served at the 1988 Morton National Park fires in Nowra, 1994 eastern seaboard fires, 1996 eastern suburbs hail storm, 2006 Cromer fires, 2013 West Head fire and the ferocious 2019-2020 bushfires.
Brookvale's Amanda Farrar, the director of Public Affairs and Development at the Australian Museum, was recognised with a Public Service Medal as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List on Monday.
Innovative boat builder and lifetime Beaches resident John McConaghy was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the yacht manufacturing sector. As he celebrated with friends and family at his Avalon home, he told the Review he was "very surprised".
Current chair of the National Rugby League Players Association and former chair of UniSport Australia (formerly Australian University Sports) Dr Deidre Anderson was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to tertiary education, and to sports administration. She said she was "very humbled", adding "I am so conscious of the many people who have enabled me to make a difference to others in both sport an education."
Other Members of the Order of Australia (AM) included:
- Barry Lambert, Collaroy: For significant service to cannabinoid medical research, business, and charitable organisations.
- Gregory Preston: For significant service to the property valuation industry.
- Dr John Stewart, Balgowlah: For significant service to medicine as a nephrologist.
Other Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) included:
- Joan Bratel, Balgowlah: For service to people with cerebral palsy.
- Janet Judd, Narrabeen: For service to conservation and the environment.
- Dr Jonathan King, Avalon Beach: For service to community history.
- Dr Daniel White, Narrabeen: For service to education.
They will be honoured at a service in September.
- For more extensive coverage of the Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours List, head to northernbeachesreview.com.au
Kate Cox
Kate Cox is Head of Content and Head of Travel for ACM. She loves asking questions and telling stories and has been a journalist and editor for more than two decades.
Kate Cox is Head of Content and Head of Travel for ACM. She loves asking questions and telling stories and has been a journalist and editor for more than two decades.
