They were Albany residents Doreen Merle Keding and Arthur Barry Jones, and Peaceful Bay resident Ronald John Anning.

Mrs Keding received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the community through church and service organisations.

“When I received the letter telling me about it it took me completely by surprise,” she said.

Now aged 81, Mrs Keding has been an elder and councillor of Scots Uniting Church since 2002 (a member since 1995); a volunteer at Albany Hospice for 12 years; mentor of the Taoist Tai Chi Society Albany Denmark branch for 12 years; chair of unit holders at Glenn Craig Retirement Village; a pianist and church assistant for 10 years, and pianist at Albany Regional Prison.

Born in South Australia, she was deeply involved in the community before moving to Gairdner with her husband, Claude, and three children.

There, her roles included working as a volunteer for St John Ambulance, president of the Country Womens Association and secretary treasurer of the Gairdner Progress Association

One son still farms at Gairdner, and her daughter, former Albany teacher Rhonda Williams, married a Gairdner farmer.

Goode Beach resident Barry Jones received the Emergency Services Medal for his work with FESA as training officer, operations manager, regional director State Emergency Service (SES), FESA regional director and project director.

He travelled the State to interview and evaluate staff in their ability to competently undertake their responsibilities as operations managers within the Bush Fires Board of WA.

He developed an effective implementation strategy to have the SES adopt an administrative approach to incident management within FESA at a time when there was great resistance from SES staff and volunteers.

He also developed the publication of the 12 Bushfire Fighting Training Modules, elevating the training package from scratch to approved national competencies.

Mr Anning received an OAM for service to the Peaceful Bay community.

He is a life member and president of the Walpole Country Club; captain of the bowls section and president of the Peaceful Bay Progress Association (1994-2004).

A founding member of the Peaceful Bay Sea Rescue Group, he has been Fire Control Officer of Tingledale Fire Brigade and Peaceful Bay Fire Service, for more than 40 years and a Denmark Shire Councillor from 1969-1982.