OAM recognition for Wimmera duo

A long-time fine-arts advocate who spent many years in Horsham and the Wimmera was among Australia Day Awards recipients.

Marion Matthews, formerly of Horsham and now of Port Fairy, received a Medal of the Order of Australia, OAM.

Ms Matthews received her acknowledgment for service to visual arts.

She has been Grampiansarts programs co-ordinator since 2008 and fulfilled management roles in Horsham Regional Art Gallery.

She was also a former community representative in a Horsham Town Hall redevelopment project and former drought officer and cultural development officer with Horsham Rural City Council.

As a volunteer, Ms Matthews was a former chairperson of Horsham Regional

Arts Association, a Horsham Town Hall board member, Wimmera hospital board member and supported Wesley Performing Arts Centre in Horsham.

She is also a former chair and treasurer for Horsham Art is… festival committee and former chair of Makers’ Gallery in Horsham.

She has also had other volunteer roles with Nati Frinj festival and is a former management committee member of HUB Adult Learning Centre in Horsham.

She was Regional Arts Victoria regional arts development officer from 2002 to 2008 and was a social welfare officer between 1982 and 1990.

Stephan honoured

Tokyo Olympic rowing gold medalist

Lucy Stephan was awarded an OAM in Australia Day honours last week.

Stephan, originally from Nhill, was one of 23 gold medalists from the Tokyo Olympic Games honoured.

Swimmer Emma Mckeon and basketball’s Patty Mills received the highest accolades, awarded an AM, Member of the Order of Australia.

The women’s rowing four of Stephan, Rosemary Popa, Jessica Morrison and Annabel Mcintyre held off a fast-finishing Dutch team to win gold by 0.34 of a second.

Stephan grew up on the family farm at Woorak with her parents Gus and Mandy Stephan and brothers Fred and Oscar, attending kindergarten, primary school and secondary college at Nhill, until year nine.