Museum of Australian Democracy Volunteer Ron Metcalfe AM was awarded the Order of Australia for service to the community in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. This follows on from his receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia in The Queen’s Birthday 1991 Honours List for his service to veterans.

This latest honour recognises Ron’s service to the community of the Australian Capital Territory including 20 years of continuous service with the museum, where he was a member of our first volunteer intake in 1992. Ron was presented with a certificate to mark this achievement recently, at the museum’s annual volunteers Length of Service presentations.

Apart from his role as a volunteer guide, Ron has been a contributor to the museum in other selfless ways. For example, after participating in the Olympic torch relay in 2000 he brought his Olympic torch into Old Parliament House and shared his experience with delighted visitors and school groups, as well as equally delighted staff and fellow volunteers. In 2006 Ron shared some of his experiences as a senior officer in the immigration department as a part of a lecture series supporting the Destination Australia: Ports of Immigration exhibition.

Ron’s long commitment to and support of the museum is valued and remarkable given the amount of time invested in his other great loves – his family, gardening and cricket.

Museum staff congratulate Ron on this latest recognition of his outstanding public service.