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Volunteer masterclass earns OAM for Christine Oliver

"South Gippsland is such a great place for volunteerism and there are many people more deserving than me," said Christine Oliver OAM, "but I was proud to be nominated as an encouragement to others to get involved in the community by volunteering."

by Sentinel-Times

Published June 08, 2026

Volunteer masterclass earns OAM for Christine Oliver — Dumbalk community contributor Christine Oliver hopes her Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) encourages others to go out and volunteer for their own local community groups. Pictured is Christine combining both of her main volunteer interests during a visit by the Leongatha Girl Guides to the Leongatha Fire Station.

“SOUTH Gippsland is such a great place for volunteerism and there are many people who’ve done as much or more than me.”

“But I was pleased and proud to be nominated for this award as an encouragement to others to get involved by volunteering whether it be with the CFA, for girl guides or whatever your particular interest might be.”

That’s how it all started for Dumbalk’s newest Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipient, Christine Oliver.

“I’d been a Girl Guide when I was younger but after I left at age 15, I didn’t have any more involvement until I came to this area to live,” said Christine.

“I saw a notice in the paper that the Leongatha Girl Guides might have to close down for lack of leaders, so I applied.

“That was back in 1990, and I’ve been involved ever since.

“They’re such a lovely bunch of girls and as leaders, we really enjoy each other’s company.

“That people would take the time and effort to nominate me is really touching. For your effort to be valued to that extent is something special, particularly when you consider the number of people who go quietly about their community work without any thought of thanks.”

Ms Oliver said the Guides’ movement had quite a heritage of acknowledging effort with suitable awards which added meaning to receiving an OAM for community service.

These days, Christine has retired from a lifetime of teaching, a fair chuck of that at the Mirboo North Secondary College, but her work with the Girl Guides, and for more than 10 years now, with the Dumbalk Fire Brigade, and a broad range of other groups goes on.

“I’m still with the Girl Guides, as a leader at Leongatha and also as a regional manager. I’m on the committee of Burnet Park, the Girl Guide camp at Glengarry, and a Camp Skills Assessor, which suits me just fine as I’ve always been into camping and the outdoors.”

Christine as been four years the secretary of the Dumbalk Fire Brigade and across more than 10 years of service, she’s volunteered in command centres at various fires, including at Venus Bay and the Morwell open cut, even holidaying at the Grampians National Park during the 2024 fires.

“I’ve worked with many great people in the groups I’ve been involved with and this is for them as much as it is for me,” she said.

Christine Oliver was awarded an OAM in Monday’s King’s Birthday Honours List “for service to the communities of the Gippsland region, and to youth.

Her involvements include but are not limited to the following: