A great honour has been bestowed on six Highlanders this Australia Day 2019.
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This year, the Highlands produced three Member of the Australian Medal (AM) recipients and three Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service worthy of recognition.
The ‘Member of the Order of Australia’ acknowledges individuals in particular locality, field or activity.
This year, Timothy McKinnon and Dr Richard Barnett have both been honoured with ‘Member of the Order of Australia’ awards for significant services to the community of Moss Vale, international health programs and significant service to medicine through plastic and reconstructive surgery, respectively.
Timothy McKinnon, an optometrist and honourary secretary for the Southern Highlands branch of Legacy Australia said he was staggered to discover that he was awarded the ‘Member of the Order of Australia’ and wondered “why I was nominated because there are so many more deserving people in my opinion”.
Mr Mckinnon worked in Moss Vale as an optometrist for more than 30 years and helped establish eye health programs in the Pacific Islands and in rural and remote areas of NSW.
“When you go out and volunteer, you actually get more out of it than those you’re helping I think,” he said.
Dr Richard Barnett, a passionate philanthropist and retired plastic surgeon said he was honoured to receive the AM. Dr Barnett has worked across regional and remote areas of Australia, promoting wound care and teaching workshops to communities which have limited access to medical assistance.
“I was absolutely amazed, I just felt so honored and overwhelmed by it,” he said.
“To think someone might consider you is very humbling.”
Dr Andrew Browning, medical director of the Barbara May Foundation in Bowral has also been awarded with an AM. The Barbara May Foundation supports the work of Maternity Africa, providing safe obstetric care to women who otherwise would not have access to life saving treatment. The Barbara May Foundation was founded in 2009 by Dr Andrew Browning alongside his Aunt Valerie Browning AM.
Dr Browning said that while he was honoured to receive the award “it was a testimony to all the work that the Barbara May Foundation does for the women in Africa”.
The ‘Medal of The Order of Australia’ is awarded to individuals whose service is worthy of particular recognition to the community.
Three deserving Highlanders, Jennifer Harper, Raymond Kuschert and Jennifer Bowe have been recognised for their outstanding service to community health, veterans and their families, and to the community respectively.
Jennifer Harper, CEO for Southern Highlands Private Hospital said that her work enabled her to work closely with the community and raise money for charities for more than 20 years.
Ms Harper is also involved in the Harbison Retirement Village as a board member and is a supporter of the Southern Highlands Community Hospice.
“It’s an absolute privilege to serve this community and that’s what I’ve enjoyed the most,” she said.
“I was excited receiving this news and feel very humble that members of the community would nominate me”.
Ray Kuschert, whose service to veterans and their families is being recognised, said that it was his wife who encouraged him to apply himself in the pursuit of making sure veterans were being cared for, after she helped him through a low point in his life.
“I owe it all to my wife. I wouldn’t know where I would be. I probably wouldn’t be here,” he said.
A Vietnam veteran, Mr Kuschert knows what it’s like to struggle with depression and uses his experience to help ease returning service men and women and their families in to civilian life.
Mr Kuschert is the senior vice president of Mittagong RSL since 2017 and a life member of the Macarthur sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association.
“I am so proud of the people who took the time to award me this medal”.
Jennifer Bowe was equally delighted to receive the OAM for services to the community. Mrs Bowe is the president of the Moss Vale Evening Country Women’s Association, coordinator for local activities and volunteers at the Bradman Museum.
Her work with various Country Women’s Association branches and other community groups such as the Bradman Museum and Southern Highlands domestic violence forum, was inspired by her mum, who taught her the value of volunteering from a young age.
Mrs Bowe said she hoped that this award would inspire other to volunteer.
“I was gobsmacked first of all and then I thought ‘oh wow mum would be proud’,” she said.
“You do it because you want to and you want to improve your local community, I thought it might inspire others to get out there and be involved with our community”.
This year, the Australia Day 2019 list is the largest in the history of the Order of Australia – recognising 1127 people for their outstanding contribution.