An unexpected honour! Recieving an OAM for my services to surf lifesaving.

An Unexpected Honour: Why Receiving the OAM for Surf Lifesaving Means So Much to Me

I never imagined that the ripple of one decision—doing my Bronze Medallion at 47 years of age —could grow into something that would touch so many lives. Yet here I am, deeply humbled to receive the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for my services to surf lifesaving. It feels like both an endpoint and the start of something bigger.

To have received this honour along with my husband Peter, the man who encouraged me to become a lifesaver and has supported my journey whole heartedly, is even more amazing.

How It All Began

Moving to the Central Coast of NSW meant a closer connection to the ocean. With a family involved in surf lifesaving it wasn’t long before I took the step of doing my Bronze Medallion with Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club. My husband Peter had long been a patrolling member, our daughter had become a nipper, and I thought, Why not me too? Learning how to catch waves, perform rescues, and understand the powerful pull of the surf was challenging, exciting—and completely life-changing.

Beach to Bush: Finding the Spark

One of the moments that shifted everything was being part of Surf Life Saving NSW’s Beach to Bush tour. In 2012, my family and I joined that program, visiting rural schools to bring beach safety education to kids who live far from the coast.

The experience was incredible. My family loved sharing our knowledge with children who had very little experience of a coastal environment. We talked swimming between the flags, identifying rips, how to stay calm, raise your hand and float if you need help in the water and of course, to never swim alone!

Knowing that these children would be better prepared to stay safe when they visit a beach was deeply satisfying. Imagining a family coming from the bush to the beach and what that may look like was the seed for my first book, Annie and the Waves, a book to help families have important conversations about beach safety and what to do if they needed help.

There was only one issue… I had no idea how to make this book become a reality.

Writing the First Story: Annie and the Waves

In 2014, my surf club were the first responders to a small child who tragically drowned at nearby Pearl Beach, a known blackspot. The trauma of this made me think, ‘how can we do things differently, how can we reach families that do not access surf lifesaving programs?’ This was the catalyst to get Annie into print. There would be no more excuses - I would learn to become an author and publish my first book!

When creating Annie I knew the book needed to be something with heart, something children could see themselves in.

Synopsis: Annie is initially wary of the ocean; she’s scared of the waves. But with guidance—from her family, from lifesavers—she learns what safety looks like, how to call for help, to swim between the flags, to be sun safe and not go into the water alone.

It took years. Fundraising. Illustrators. Support from my surf club and my community. It was a journey of learning—about publishing, about research, about partnerships. But when Annie and the Waves was endorsed by Surf Life Saving Australia and started finding its way into classrooms, early learning centres and homes, I knew we were going to be part of turning the tide on drowning, this book could help make a difference!

What It Means to Be Recognised

Receiving the OAM isn’t just an award to pin on or hang on a wall. It reminds me of every early morning patrol, every school visit in a classroom far from the sea, every young face that lit up after they learned how to recognise a rip and what to do if they needed help. It’s for Peter, who has stood beside me in this work; for our club; for all the folks who helped make Annie and the Waves, Rohit at the River, Tight Lines possible.

It also reminds me of how much more there is to do. Some beaches are unpatrolled. Rivers and inland waterways carry dangers people don’t always see. Children who live far from the coast, tourists, families—they all need clear, caring, accessible messages about what safety looks like.

What’s Next (Because the Work Doesn’t Stop)

• I will continue writing stories. Each new book is another chance to open conversations—between children and their parents, between schools and communities—about safety, courage, and respect for water.
• Every dollar we earn through Deep Water Publishing goes back into making more books and free resources, reaching more kids, more families. It’s not about profit—it’s about prevention, awareness, safety.
• ‘Taking It to the Beach’ our award-winning community education program has morphed into a new community engagement program, ‘Ask me how to stay safe at the beach.’ This program follows on from a research study we supported, undertaken by the University of Melbourne and Surf Lifesaving Australia. This community engagement program has the ability to pop-up, at a beach, an event in a shopping centre. It activates a space where lifesavers can have meaningful safety conversations that are relevant to the beachgoing experience of each person they speak to. 
• Peter and I continue to patrol at our beautiful Ocean Beach. 

A Thank You

To my family—thank you for your patience, support, and belief. To my surf lifesaving community—for the encouragement and willingness to support my ideas. To the children and families who asked questions, shared stories and took the time to let me know how much they love the characters and stories in my books. This OAM is as much yours as it is mine.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

I’ve learned that service starts with just one small step: getting your Bronze Medallion, sharing a safety chat, writing a story. But those small steps ripple out—into young lives, into beach culture, into how people understand safety in water.

The ocean is beautiful, powerful, unpredictable. It demands respect, preparation, and care. If through my words, through our programs, one more child feels safer, one more person knows how to get help, then it has all been worth it.

Thank you for being part of this journey.