The King’s Birthday 2024 Honours List recognises 737 outstanding and inspirational Australians.
Alongside Shepparton’s Lisa McKenzie, five other citizens from around our region received medals for their contribution to the community and their passions.
Another Shepparton recipient was Peter Johnson who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for his service to the community.
Mr Johnson was a founding member of Goulburn Valley Grammar School, finding himself in many different roles such as founding treasurer, chair or various fundraising appeals, life fellow and more.
For 41 years from 1979 to 2020 he was an integral member of the school community.
His dedication to local education was also shown through his role as a founding member of the Wanganui Secondary College school council.
Outside his commitment to local education, Mr Johnson was a board member of Goulburn Valley Water and chairman of both the Remuneration and Performance Committee and the Audit Committee.
He was also the deputy chairman of the Shepparton Regional Water Authority as well as the chairman of the Finance and Administration Committee and the Staffing Committee.
His community involvement includes being a dedicated member of the Shepparton Central Rotary Club since 1988 and a member of the Goulburn Valley Hwy Bypass Action Group, since 2010.
Mr Johnson was also a member of the Tatura Male Choir.
From 1964 to 2012, Mr Johnson was an employee at Cameron’s Lawyers, going from Lawyer to Partner and finishing his career as a consultant.
Benalla’s Elizabeth Winkler received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for her service to the communities of Benalla and Tallangatta.
She is a weekly volunteer at the local Preschool Reading Program and also at the Food Co-Op and Uniting Church projects.
In Tallangatta she is the organiser of a free weekly after-school music group and has done so for the last 14 years.
Mrs Winkler established a drivers' education program and parenting classes, being involved in both for the last six years.
For 25 years she has been the Indonesian teacher at the Tallangatta Primary School.
She has released five books: All by Myself Cookbook in 1979, Slates and Suet Puddings in 1988, Selamat Pagi Bu, in 1997, From Kancil to Kartini in 2005 and most recently Making Indonesian Fun in 2020.
For 70 years she has been a volunteer at the Methodist and Uniting Church and has been a contributor to state and national Uniting Church publications for 40 years.
Dustin Perry of Euroa was also awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for his service to his community through the non-for-profit sector.
He has been an ambassador of the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation since 2019.
He is also a member of the Australian Brain Cancer Mission Strategic Advisory Committee and has been for the last six years.
Mr Perry continues to advocate for brain cancer research, including the Federal Government, for funding.
His dedication doesn’t stop there as he was an ambassador for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation from 2017 to 2020 as well as the head of government engagement and the head of partnerships from 2019 to 2020.
In his professional life, he has been a senior project manager, construction site manager and a project manager.
In 2021, Mr Perry released a book titled The Corrected Lore of a Famous Philanthropist.
Alan Fry of Cohuna has received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for his service to the communities of Cohuna and Leitchville.
He was a dedicated member of Lions International, having roles such as deputy district governor, zone chairman and member of the district cabinet.
During his time with the Leitchville Lions Club, Mr Fry held titles such as president, secretary, public relations officer, and third vice-president.
He was also a member of the Echuca Lions Club from 2004 until 2020.
He was also committed to the Cohuna District Hospital, being board president, board member and life governor.
Mr Fry has been a volunteer at the Cohuna Neighbourhood House All-Abilities Garden since 2020.
He is also a former committee member of the Leitchville Swimming Pool, Leitchville and District Progress Association, Leitchville School and Cohuna School.
He is an avid supporter of the Leitchville Tennis Club and Leitchville Football Netball Club.
Since 1976 he has been a justice of the peace at the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victoria, and he is also a member of the Royal Victorian Association of Honorary Justices.
For 38 years, Mr Fry was a proprietor at AT and P Fry Farm Supplies, Leitchville.
Mr Fry’s previous Awards and Recognition include a 45 Years’ Recognition Certificate from the Royal Victorian Association of Honorary Justices which he received in 2021 and the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award from the Leitchville Lions Club.
In 1992, Mr Fry was the Citizen of the Year for the Shire of Cohuna.
Michael McLaughlin of Violet Town has received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for his service to the Violet Town community.
He is the current vice chairman of the Violet Town Action Group, treasurer of the Violet Town RSL and a member of the Violet Town Lions Club for 10 years.
For over 30 years, Mr McLaughlin has been associated with the Violet Town Football Netball Club as a player, trainer and now a member.
Since 1997, he has been a member of the Violet Town CFA.Member, Violet Town Brigade, Country Fire Authority, since 1997.
Mr McLaughlin has been a carer and trustee of the Violet Town Cemetery Trust since 2019.
In 2010, Mr McLaughlin was a Citizen of the Year for the Shire of Strathbogie.