The 2022 Australia Day honours list includes...

Be it through martial arts, first aid or horses, Vicki and David Cottee have contributed immensely to Talgarno since moving there in 2000.

But the couple's reaction to each being awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia is not unusual among recipients.

"A little embarrassed that we were singled out because we are in a community that thrives on volunteers," Mr Cottee said.

"There's an awful lot of people in our community that are just as deserving," his wife added.

Soon after the Cottees arrived, children found out Mr Cottee knew taekwondo and he then taught classes voluntarily for 18 years.

Additional fitness training led into community exercise classes that Mr and Mrs Cottee helped conduct for 14 years.

In 2006 the pair became volunteer first responders with the local Community Emergency Response Team for Ambulance Victoria.

To add to her skills and give back to the community, Mrs Cottee has completed her Diploma in Paramedicine and is part way through a degree in this area.

Mr and Mrs Cottee's interest in stock horses encouraged their involvement with activities including Man From Snowy River Festival, Upper Murray Horsemen's Association and Bethanga Pony Club, each fulfilling a variety of roles.

With the couple asked to provide first aid services for a camp draft event, but not wanting to be paid, Mrs Cottee suggested the money be donated to their Community Emergency Response Team for automatic external defibrillators.

"We are very proud of the equipment, including six defibrillators, that has been purchased for the community through these donations," Mr Cottee said.

He has been a member of Talgarno Recreation Reserve Committee since 2003, president since 2006, while Mrs Cottee joined the committee in 2013.

"Talgarno is such a fantastic community, they welcomed us when we arrived without reservation," Mr Cottee said.

Working in partnership so often, Mr and Mrs Cottee were named Bellbridge Joint Citizens of the Year in 2003.

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The rewards that come from seeing people with intellectual impairments feeling valued and respected continue to thrill Benalla's Robyn Smith even after more than 30 years.

Sport Inclusion Australia's chief executive was awarded an OAM for service to people with disability through sport.

"Often the people I work with don't always have great experiences at school or find meaningful employment and so sport is something that they can actually do really well and put their energies to, so they find a sense of connectedness," she said.

As well as her current role, which began in 1989, Ms Smith has been The Global Games Sports Company chief executive (2016-2020), chef de mission of Global Games in Ecuador (2015), Italy (2011) and Sweden (2004) and assistant chef de mission at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

She currently chairs the Australian Sporting Alliance for People with a Disability and since 2013 has been vice-president of Virtus (world intellectual impairment sport).

"It's nice to be able to take some learnings from Australia and recreate those in other parts of the world and conversely anything that you learn from other parts that might work here," she said.

Closer to home, Ms Smith coaches netball and helped establish the Benalla Walk to DFeet MND in 2008.

She said the Paralympics in first Sydney and then London (2012) really raised the profile of sports for people with disability.

"You stop seeing what people can't do and you can see what people can do," she said.

"We're all celebrating humanity and person first, so I love sport for delivering that."

A lifetime in Finley has also meant a lifetime of community service for Marjorie Maxwell OAM, recognised for her many contributions to her home town.

Finley Regional Care has been a major beneficiary of her efforts - she served on the board for 27 years and is still president of the fundraising auxiliary group, which she joined in 1976.

A life member of both Finley Show Society and Finley Pony Club, she was secretary and treasurer of the latter from 1972 to 1982.

Mrs Maxwell has also held executive positions for Soroptimist Club Finley, Retreat Hall Committee and Retreat Tennis Club and volunteered for Finley Rotary Club.

"To be in a community, you've got to help run things, you've got to be in things," she said.

"If you're in something and you're involved, it keeps you busy and the town needs the support as well."

She thanked the unknown person who nominated her for an Australia Day honour.

"When you're in things like this and you get awards, there are other people involved, you don't do it on your own," she said.

"I'd say to anybody, get involved, be in whatever's going in the community.

"You get a lot of pleasure out of it, it's great."

The timeline of Helen McIntosh's volunteering matches the different stages of her life in Beechworth.

"If you look at the list, you'll see it's a progression from infant welfare to kindergarten to primary school ... so that's where my interests were, where my kids were going," she said.

"As you grow older, as your kids grow older your interests change and your capabilities change.

"These things were done over a lot of years, it wasn't all at once so it hasn't been like an onerous-type thing, it's been enjoyable."

Awarded an OAM for service to her home town, Mrs McIntosh has contributed to groups like neighbourhood watch, meals on wheels, swimming group, Probus, op shop, church and school councils.

She was a founding leader of Beechworth Cub Scouts and served on the Beechworth Secondary College recreation centre board of management for 24 years.

Two current interests for Beechworth Health Service involve the Isolated Persons Phone Service and the Walking School Bus Group.

Mrs McIntosh's mother and older sister were Red Cross members and it was "expected of me" to join.

"Then I did just to shut everybody up and now it's become part of my life," she said.

Her executive roles with the Beechworth Red Cross branch include a long stint as secretary between 1989 and 2004.

Working to support emergency efforts has been particularly satisfying; in June she went to Lilydale to assist after wild storms.

Mrs McIntosh said she gained more than she gave by volunteering.

"You do what you have to do at the time, but looking back I think, well, I've got far more out of that than I could ever do," she said.

She paid tribute to her late husband Ted and their children for supporting her over the years.

"Three daughters and a husband, they had to look after themselves sometimes and that didn't hurt them at all," she said.

"If it wasn't for the support at home I wouldn't have been able to do half this."

Wodonga's Malcolm McEachern prefers to look forward, not back, but his extensive history of community service has not been forgotten.

His Order of Australia Medal acknowledges numerous public roles, including 15 years as a Wodonga councillor from 1974 and 1989, serving as mayor for one term.

An electrical contractor in the family business - now into its fourth generation - Mr McEachern also chaired a number of municipal groups, such as Wodonga industrial development committee and Wodonga tourism committee.

He said after experience with theatre and public speaking groups "I wasn't averse to getting up and talking".

"I liked listening and finding out and forcing the issue so things happened," he said.

"When you get involved and you meet more people you embrace more, that's all, you just take bigger breaths and bigger steps and you just do more."

He served as president and secretary during 10 years with Wodonga Lions Club and has co-ordinated Wodonga Gentlemen's Coffee Club for a decade.

Mr McEachern's membership and executive roles in various car clubs, particularly Jaguar Car Club of Victoria and Riverina Sports Car Association point to a long-term interest.

"It's been a hobby, recreation and now since I've been retired for 20 years it's been very fulfilling," he said.

The 78-year-old said receiving an Australia Day honour was "nice but embarrassing too".

"My partner Robyn is half of my success," he said.

"I'd like to think that my kids and my grandkids get a great deal of satisfaction out of this and it might give them incentive to do other things too, just to do more."

"If you see something that needs doing, the only way to do something about it is to get involved."

Such a philosophy has motivated Springhurst's Allison Jenvey from her early work on netball and school committees to her current role as chair of Wodonga TAFE.

Surprised to be awarded an OAM for her service to vocational education and the community, Ms Jenvey admits wondering if the email announcement she received was a scam.

"I love what I've done and I love my job at Wodonga TAFE, so it seems a little bit incongruous perhaps to be recognised for something you get a lot of pleasure out of," she said.

The recently retired accountant originally joined Wodonga Chamber of Commerce to meet people in a new town and then served as president for three years.

An Albury Wodonga Health Board member for six years, she also chaired the Rural Housing Network (now Beyond Housing) between 2000 and 2004.

Ms Jenvey is a board member and former chair of Victorian TAFE Association and joined the Wodonga TAFE board in 2015, becoming chair the following year.

"That's a part of my desire to ensure that regional people get the same sorts of services as our metro cousins," she said.

"Why should you be at greater risk of dying of a heart attack up here than in Melbourne? Why should you have to travel to Melbourne to do the courses or follow the career you want to do?

"I get great satisfaction out of the role because of what TAFE does for the wider community, it's a terrific institute, something Wodonga should be really proud of."

Ms Jenvey thanked her husband Colin and children Sherryn and Brennan for their wonderful support over the years.

"These honours come only because you work with an amazing team," she said.

Since 1989, Sandi Grieve has seen Walwa Bush Nursing Centre change from a 10-bed hospital to "a really vibrant and expansive community health centre".

Her Order of Australia Medal that recognises her own contribution over 33 years, including as chief executive since 2003, leaves her "absolutely gobsmacked and incredibly humbled."

Home and community care, district nursing, a GP practice on site and a nurse-led emergency department are just some ways the centre now serves its community.

"It's really important for us to be able to provide as much service as we can locally to save what is essentially an elderly community having to travel considerable distances," Ms Grieve said.

"It truly is about being able to help people in a way that works best for them."

Walwa's remote location ("We actually used to joke that Walwa is an acronym that stands for We're A Long Way Away") remains a challenge, for example during the 2019-2020 bushfires.

Ms Grieve said the centre, and the whole community, had four weeks without power or communication, with fires threatening on three separate occasions.

And then at a time when the community should have been coming together to recover, COVID restrictions came in.

"We certainly could have used at least one sleep between disasters," the chief executive said wryly.

"The workload for my staff has basically tripled because people are much, much sicker in the community because they can't access services as easily in Albury-Wodonga.

"Lots and lots of elective surgery has been cancelled so people who have been waiting on stents for cardiac disease can't get that surgery."

Ms Grieve said among the centre's services she particularly valued the privilege of working with patients and families to manage palliative care.

"Being able to make a difference during that period ... it makes very much what I do worthwhile," she said.

The right combination of interest, expertise and lucky timing helped save an important part of Tocumwal's heritage.

And Bob Brown's role as president and volunteer of the Tocumwal Historic Aerodrome Museum since 1995 has been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal.

Mr Brown said when he and his wife moved from Melbourne to a property near Tocumwal's old aerodrome in 1989 "this huge place was just decaying away, unused, unloved".

"We discovered that when it was built it was the biggest aerodrome in the southern hemisphere in the smallest town ... we were astonished," he said.

A committee began to interview veterans, learning the 1942 Darwin bombings prompted the aerodrome's construction.

"After starting from just ordinary grazing country, in five weeks the first aircraft landed on the runway in Tocumwal," Mr Brown said.

"The fact that it was built in such haste meant the farmers around the district were pushed off their land overnight almost."

At one time about 7000 Americans were stationed there, followed by about 5000 Australian airforce personnel.

"We were lucky to be just in time to be able to get these stories from the veterans, if it had been left a few more years then the veterans were progressively fading away," Mr Brown said.

The committee put memorabilia on display "and the community of Tocumwal began to realise what an asset they had".

Mr Brown thanked those who had nominated him for an OAM - "a great surprise" - and was pleased a display and cafe continued at the aerodrome site.

"I'm 92 years of age, so it's time to hand over to the next generations," he said.

"We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and I had the necessary interest in aviation to really assemble all the history and put it on display."

Growing up in Swanpool, Vincent Branigan experienced people going out of their way to take children to their sport or to Melbourne to see a play.

"It was very community focused and that was drummed into me from a very early age, that you need to give back to your community or that you were part of a community," he said.

Mr Branigan must have learned that lesson well - as a teacher, youth mentor and active volunteer he has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service to the Benalla community.

A life member of Benalla Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, he served as president for about 12 years, secretary from 2010 to 2013 and still enjoys helping with the junior program.

Membership of St Vincent de Paul Society and four years as Benalla conference president gave him a greater insight into his community and its challenges.

"That's how I ultimately got involved in the Connect9 program because it was a proactive measure to try and encourage young people to stay at school and stay focused," Mr Branigan said.

An initiative of community foundation Tomorrow Today, Connect9 sees adults mentoring year 9 students through organised and informal activities.

Mr Branigan, a mentor since 2015, said it was "fantastic".

"It's got a proven track record of keeping kids on track and getting them through to year 12," he said.

"The kids like it, it's a really well organised and well run program."

Also part of the Benalla Festival organising committee since 2012, Mr Branigan said he felt thrilled and humbled to be recognised in the Australia Day honours.

A church member for 65 years, Pam Thorman has been ringing the bells at St Matthew's Albury for more than two decades.

Mrs Thorman's service to the community of Albury has been recognised with an Medal of the Order of Australia.

For 27 years, she has been a bell ringer for the Kiewa Street Anglican congregation and tower captain for the past 13.

Her commitment to Albury Meals on Wheels has spanned more than 45 years as a volunteer while she is also a former group leader and committee member.

At Allity Riverwood Retirement Village, West Albury, Mrs Thorman volunteers at the mini-mart and served as acting president of the village residents committee in 2020-2021.

Since 2018 she has been assistant secretary of the residents committee, continuing her contribution to her community.

Like many others, Jo Brookes, of Mitta Valley, is humbled to find herself on the Australia Day honours list.

"There are so many paramedics who do so much, so to be nominated was quite an honour," she said.

The Paramedic Community Support Coordinator for Ambulance Victoria in the Mitta Valley and Towong communities, Ms Brookes has been awarded an Ambulance Service Medal.

She first moved to Mitta Valley in 2008 and began as an ambulance community officer before becoming a career paramedic in 2012.

Much of her work involves building community health resilience through education and engagement.

"Trying to identify issues in people early so that I can help direct them to the most appropriate care at that point, rather than developing into a medical emergency," Ms Brookes said.

"It's just the enjoyment I get from the role and being able to work in the community and being able to assist people on their health journey."

Immediately after the Black Summer Corryong fires, she developed a process to ensure remote areas could be accessed to provide first aid and any other necessary care.

"My role was about overseeing and coming up with a plan to help the community navigate through the challenges," she said.

"It was also important for our own ambulance officers and paramedics at Corryong; it was about helping and supporting them in developing a plan to return to business as usual.

"Many of them were affected by the fires so different people had different challenges in returning to work."

Her medal citation noted the successful transition was achieved in a timely fashion.

"Ms Brookes is an outstanding member of Ambulance Victoria, and her commitment to the care and wellbeing of communities in the Mitta Valley and throughout Towong Shire has been exceptional," the citation said.

The vehicles were old in the early days of Keith O'Brien's Victoria State Emergency Service career.

"It was an embarrassment sometimes having people pass you when you were driving, lights and sirens, to an accident up a hill," he recalled with a laugh this week.

But since the late 1980s, improvements have been made to equipment and methods in areas such as road rescue, rooftop safety and working with hazardous trees.

And Mr O'Brien, now awarded an Emergency Services Medal, has helped achieve that over the decades, chiefly as regional manager and assistant chief officer based in Benalla.

Before arriving in Victoria in 1988, he had spent nearly 20 years in the NSW SES, once called civil defence.

A volunteer for about 18 years in Bendigo, Mr O'Brien then moved into his professional SES position.

His ESM citation noted his contribution to the SES's development and his key roles throughout some of Australia's largest emergencies.

He has been part of working parties that rewrote the Australian Emergency Manual Series General and Disaster Rescue, fourth edition, and developed the Alpine Search and Survival Course.

"Mr O'Brien has led the evolution of flood response planning and operations, including the development of a range of flood operations tools and templates," the citation said.

"He is a person of high integrity who continually strives to improve the services provided by VICSES."

Mr O'Brien said the honour would not have been possible without the support he received from other SES staff, volunteers and his family.

He admitted a career in emergency response brought its challenges.

"There are still some jobs I think about from time to time and you deal with it because you know you've done your best for the people concerned," he said.

"Just trying to make a change in things and helping the community you're involved in."

Several people with links, past or present, to the Border and North East have also been recognised in the 2022 Australia Day honours.

Albury-born Meg Harris was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her service to sport as a gold medallist at last year's Olympics in Tokyo.

The then 19-year-old swam the second leg in the Australian team that broke the 4x100m freestyle relay world record.

Harris, the daughter of former Albury Tigers and North Melbourne player Darren Harris, also won a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay to accompany medals won at the 2019 Junior World Championships and the Youth Commonwealth Games in 2017.

Former Towong Shire chief executive Lyndon Webb has been honoured posthumously with an OAM for his service to local government and the community of Sale.

Mr Webb, who died in March aged 74, led the Upper Murray council between 1999 and 2001 in a long career that included stints in Wellington, Manningham, Maroondah, Croydon and Hume councils.

During his time in our region, he also served on the boards of Albury Base Hospital and Upper Murray Health and Community Services and contributed to the North Albury and Tallangatta Rotary Clubs.

Jonathon McKenzie, who fought in the 2019-2020 bushfires near Tumbarumba, received an Australian Fire Service Medal.

After joining Weethalle Brigade in 1999, Mr McKenzie transferred to Bland headquarters four years later, attending fires in Khancoban among other complex incidents.

In 2018 he was elected to be group captain for the Bland Temora zone and led by example during Black Summer when he aptly led his crews out of area as a strike team leader to the Dunns Road fire near Tumbarumba.

Former politician Noel Hicks, of Griffith, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the Parliament of Australia and the community of the Riverina.

Mr Hicks served as member for Riverina between 1980 and 1984 and again from 1993 to 1998.

In between these stints, he was member for Riverina-Darling (1984-1993).

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