![Ross Edwards, pictured at the Henty Machinery Field Days' Taylor Wood Pavilion, has been honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the community of Lockhart. Picture by Bernard Humphreys Ross Edwards, pictured at the Henty Machinery Field Days' Taylor Wood Pavilion, has been honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the community of Lockhart. Picture by Bernard Humphreys](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/34LhtAQascFe7b8mpJkRfDb/a626f83a-c0cd-42f9-98c1-2bbdea772ff9.jpg/r0_0_4504_2532_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
An honour to share with family and the community.
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That's how Ross Edwards views his receiving of a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to the community of Lockhart.
The former deputy mayor of Lockhart Shire Council said the honour was humbling and unexpected.
"I'd just like to acknowledge everybody that's helped me along the way," he said.
"In particular, my wife and son, Philip. A big thank you to everybody.
"It's a joint effort by everybody that I've been involved with.
"I'm the lucky one to get the OAM, but there's certainly a lot [of people] deserving as what I am."
Living his whole life in Yerong Creek, Mr Edwards served as a Lockhart councillor for 12 years (1987-1999) and four of those as deputy mayor (1995-1999).
"A great lot of people to work with over there at Lockhart," he said.
"I think during my time we achieved quite a bit and one thing we tried to do, was if we do something, to do it properly the first time."
In 2012 he went on to be recognised as Citizen of the Year for Lockhart Shire Council.
![Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipient Ross Edwards celebrates his honour with Henty Machinery Filed Days secretary Heather Barrett (left) and his wife Heather (right) at the Taylor Wood Pavilion. Picture by Bernard Humphreys Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipient Ross Edwards celebrates his honour with Henty Machinery Filed Days secretary Heather Barrett (left) and his wife Heather (right) at the Taylor Wood Pavilion. Picture by Bernard Humphreys](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/34LhtAQascFe7b8mpJkRfDb/9eb52d90-a277-4f4e-9fa5-b081053ad148.jpg/r0_1024_6880_5504_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A community man, he has worked in volunteer roles for more than 50 years, beginning with the Yerong Creek Fire Brigade as an equipment officer, before becoming president in the early 1980s.
"I'm very proud of our little community, it's only a town of 150 people," Mr Edwards said.
"I tried to restore the recreation ground, all of the football finals used to be played there years ago, and now it's a very successful campground.
"People come along and camp there and support the bowling club."
Mr Edwards also served as president of Yerong Bowling Club, Yerong Creek Parks and Gardens, and Yerong Creek Parents and Citizens Association.
However it was his time with Henty Machinery Field Days he is really quite proud of.
"I started there in 1963. It was a fairly long apprenticeship parking cars. [I] eventually became a board member in 1978 and chairman in 2007," he said.
![Former Henty Machinery Field Days chairman, Ross Edwards, and current chairman, Nigel Scheetz. File picture Former Henty Machinery Field Days chairman, Ross Edwards, and current chairman, Nigel Scheetz. File picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/34LhtAQascFe7b8mpJkRfDb/dea04bc8-71c0-4cc4-890a-be8ce71d9e7a.jpg/r0_0_4928_3280_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"A wonderful group of people to work with there. We've had some really, really top people make sure that the future of the field day is assured.
"One thing that I'm very proud of is the amount of young people, young fellows and and ladies, that are involved with the organisation now. It is absolutely fantastic that they are there."
At 75 years old, Mr Edwards is now semi-retired, but still lends a hand on the farm when he's needed.
"I've stepped back a bit, but I'm still taking interest in the field days and the council and the town," he said.
"I've always been very, very happy to pass the baton on and there's people [at the Field Days] that will do equally as good a job, and I'm sure a better job, than what I've done in the past."