LOCAL Douglas Hewitt has been recognised for his service to the communities of both Armidale and Nambucca Heads with inclusion on the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
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Mr Hewitt has been named as an awardee of the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division.
Among Mr Hewitt's many achievements are several stints as mayor of Armidale City Council - from 1973 to 1974, 1978 to 1979 and 1983 to 1986.
He was also a member of the Rotary Club of Armidale from 1970 to 1995 and president from 1975 to 1976.
His other achievements include:
- Deputy mayor, 1964-1966, 1972.
- Alderman, 1962-1968.
Apex Club
- District Governor, 1968-1969.
- President, Armidale, 1963-1964.
- Member, Armidale, 1959-1970.
- Life Member, Armidale, 1970.
Community
- Member, Nambucca Heads Probus, 1995-2018.
- Member, Armidale Theatre Club, the 1970s-1980s.
- Armidale Musical Society, 1970s-1980s.
Methodist / Uniting Church
- Nambucca Heads Uniting Church, 1995-2018.
- Member and former Finance Committee chairman, Armidale, 1957-1994.
Professional
- Inaugural chairman, Autumn Lodge Retirement Village, 1972-1982.
- Chairman, Armidale Bi-centenary, 1987-1988.
- Founding Member, Armidale Building Society.
- Deputy chairman, Council of the Armidale College of Advanced Education (now UNE), 1975-1984.
- Delegate, New England County Council, 1966-1968.
- Director, Armidale and New England District Hospital Board, 1991-1993.
This year there are 710 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia (3 AC, 50 AO, 200 AM and 457 OAM), 28 recipients of awards in the Military Division of the Order of Australia (3 AO, 12 AM and 13 OAM); and, 128 meritorious awards.
"In this list, we see all the positives that are in our community - we see the great ideas, we see the hard work, we see the love and compassion for fellow human beings - it's a microcosm of Australia," the Governor-General said.
"Their peers have noted their efforts, they've been nominated and assessed independently as worthy of recognition.
"The system is driven by nominations. To me, that's the most critical thing - it's bottom-up, and recommendations from peers drive it. The system belongs to all Australians."
