A FORMER councillor has been posthumously recognised as part of the King’s Birthday Honours, with the late Malcolm Hole awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to local government and the community.
Cr Hole was first elected to Wellington Shire Council in 2000, and went on to be re-elected at a further six elections.
He served two terms as Mayor in 2002 and 2006, and one term as Deputy Mayor in 2019.
He passed away while serving his seventh term as councillor in 2021.
During his time as on council, Cr Hole served on numerous local government committees, including the Municipal Association of Victoria, Rural Councils Victoria, Gippsland Local Government Network and Local Government Emergency Management Committee.
Additionally, Cr Hole was a passionate advocate of the native timber industry, serving on the boards of the National Timber Councils Association, Timber Towns Victoria and Heyfield Timber Festival during his time as councillor.
His prolific involvement with, and fierce championing for, the Heyfield community led to him being called the “unofficial Mayor of Heyfield”, serving as a committee member for the Heyfield and District Traders Association, Gordon Street Reserve Committee, Heyfield Rodeo, Heyfield Football Club and Heyfield Apex Club, of which he was a life member.
Wellington Shire Council Mayor Ian Bye shared his gratitude for the honour on behalf of Wellington Shire.
“Cr Hole was an exceptional individual, and his legacy will remain fixed in the fabric of our community,” Cr Bye said.
“Cr Hole worked tirelessly to ensure he left a positive impact on his community and anyone he worked with.
“I am immensely proud to honour Cr Hole’s achievements and extend my heartfelt congratulations to Cr Hole’s family, friends, and loved ones on this well-deserved recognition.
“Cr Hole was an extremely dedicated member of his local community, and this recognition highlights the exceptional work he has done over his lifetime.”
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester honoured Cr Hole in a Facebook post, calling him a “tireless champion for Heyfield and the Wellington Shire”, and noted his passion for the native hardwood timber industry.
“His grassroots work for Gippsland as a councillor and fearless community advocate is a proud legacy for his family and friends,” Mr Chester said.
The King’s Birthday Honours were revealed on Monday, June 12 in recognition of the King’s Birthday public holiday – the first to occur under the reign of King Charles III.
While Charles’ birthday is actually November 14, it is tradition in most Australian states and territories to recognise the reigning Monarch’s birthday on the second Monday of June each year.
Cr Hole was the Wellington Shire’s sole recipient of an Order of Australia for this year’s long-weekend celebrations.
