Four local legends feature in the 2019 Australia Day national honours list released today, Saturday 26 January.
Former Warwick Shire deputy mayor Doug Cutmore, Warwick community stalwart Elaine Stewart and Goomburra conservationist Mary-Lou Gittins will all receive an Order of Australia Medal (OAM), while SES champion John Newley has been honoured with an Emergency Services Medal (ESM).
Doug’s and Elaine’s official citations note that their OAM’s are in recognition of their “service to the community of Warwick”, while Mary-Lou’s is for “services to conservation and the environment”.
• Australia Day OAM citation – Douglas Charles Cutmore…
Warwick Benevolent Society (Akooroomak)
President, 1996-2017.
Vice-President, 1995-1996 and since 2017.
Member, Executive Committee, since 1994.
Warwick Shire Council
Councillor, 1997-2008.
Councillor, Warwick City Council, 1988-1997.
Cunningham Masonic Lodge
Master, 1980 and 2010.
Life Vice-Patron, Hand Heart Pocket, current.
Current Secretary.
Past Treasurer.
Member, since 1970.
Warwick Caledonian Society
Life Member, current.
Past Committee Member.
Chieftain for 10 years.
Other
Life Member, Warwick Thistle Pipe Band, current.
Current Director, Warwick Friendly Society.
• Australia Day OAM citation – Elaine Catherine Stewart…
St Marks Anglican Church
Treasurer, St Marks Mothers Union, current.
Former Parish Councillor.
Former Warden.
Treasurer, St Marks Guild, current.
Supporter, Friends of St Marks.
Community
Supporter of Riding with the Disabled.
Supporter, Warwick Leukaemia Foundation and Cancer Fund.
Member, Schools Chaplaincy Committee, Warwick.
• Australia Day OAM citation – Mary-Lou Gittins…
Director, Landcare Australia Limited, 2001-2005.
Queensland Representative, Australia Landcare Council, 2005.
Queensland Representative, Murray Darling Basin Community Committee, 2009-2012.
Condamine Alliance
Director, since 2015.
Natural Member, 2009-2013.
Director, 2005-2009.
Condamine Catchment Management Association
Secretary, since 2009.
Chair, 2003-2008.
Brisbane Valley Kilcoy Landcare
Treasurer, 2000-2003.
Secretary, 1994-2000.
Treasurer, 1992-1993.
School interaction with Landcare and Waterwatch Programs, 1994-2000.
Queensland Water and Land Carers
Director, since 2016 and 2002-2003.
Secretary, since 2016.
Chair , Members Engagement and Communication, since 2016.
Chair, organising committee, Queensland State Landcare Awards, 2017
Chair, Southern Queensland Landcare Forum, 2017.
Member, organising committee, Queensland State Landcare Conference, Warwick, 2013.
Chair, founding Steering Committee, 2001.
South East Queensland Western Catchments Group
Landcare representative, Steering group to form Regional Body, 2000-2001.
Deputy Chair, National Action Plan for Salinity, Water Quality and Quantity, 2001-2003.
Representative, Steering Group to form South East Queensland Natural Resource Management regional body, 2000-2003.
Member, Steering group, merger with Natural Resource Management South East Queensland Group, 2002-2003.
Member representative, Regional Groups Collective Queensland, 2001-2003.
Dairy Industry
Community and Queensland Dairy Organisation representative, Brisbane Valley Vegetation Group, 2001-2003.
Farmer Facilitator, Sub-Tropical Dairy Program South East Queensland, 1999-2001.
Co-organised the Sub-Tropical Dairy conference, ‘Dairying and Natural Resource Management’, Adora Downs, Mt Tyson, 2000.
Representative, Sub-Tropical Dairy Program on Steering committee for the Land and Water audit in Dairy Industry ‘Dairying for tomorrow’, Dairy Research and Development Corporation, 1998 – 2000.
Other
Chair, organising committee, Southern Queensland Landcare Forum, 2017.
Secretary, Allora Rural Watch, 2012-2017.
Community Member, Queensland Murray-Darling Committee, 2009-2014.
Chair, Darling Downs Regional Landcare Group, 2005-2010.
Director, Landcare Australia, 2001-2005.
Chair and Founding Member, Brisbane Upper River Network Group, 2000-2003.
Chair, Queensland Waterwatch Committee, 2001-2003.
Environment Representative, Regional Communities Forum South East Queensland, 2000-2003.
Member, Industry and Community Advisory Group, Moreton Bay Waterways and Catchment Partnership, South East Queensland Water Quality Management Strategy, 2000-2003.
Deputy Chair, Brisbane River Management Reference Group, 1997-2000.
Community Member, South East Queensland Water Quality Strategy, 1996-2000.
Queensland Landcare and Catchment Conferences
Warwick, chaired sessions, 2013.
Caloundra, presented paper on Landcare Group Health, 2010.
Barcaldine, presented paper on History of Landcare in Queensland, 2005.
Longreach, presented paper on Waterwatch in Qld, 2000.
Awards and recognition includes:
State Individual Landcare Award, 2003.
South East Queensland Community Award, 2002.
Nominated for Condamine alliance, Outstanding Contribution to People, 2012
• Australia Day Emergency Services Medal (ESM) citation – John Alistair Newley
“Mr Newley has been an active member of the Warwick State Emergency Service (SES) for over 40 years. His dedication, leadership and operational professionalism has significantly contributed to the strength and capability of the unit and surrounding areas.
As the Local Controller he has encouraged the participation of all members and ensured that the unit is well trained and equipped to respond to incidents across the Southern Downs region. He is also relied upon to extend his diligence to many other SES units across South West Queensland.
Being a member of the Local Disaster Management Group he has worked with other agencies to ensure the preparedness, resilience and recovery of the community.
He is highly respected for his ongoing commitment, knowledge and support to enable the community to respond to disaster events. Mr Newley is held in high regard amongst the Warwick community and his fellow volunteers for his unwavering commitment to service delivery of the SES.”
