For medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipient Trevor Ricketts, it was being welcomed into the town of Monbulk as English expat that sparked his desire to give back to the community.
Mr Ricketts’ family, consisting of his mother, his sister and himself, was sponsored by a woman who lived on Silvan Road.
“I’ve done what I’ve done because the people when I came out from England (I’m naturalised now), [the people] were very good to me and I was determined if ever I was in a position to do something for them I would do it,” Mr Ricketts said.
“I came to Monbulk first and I travelled around quite a lot and…. there was a couple [in Monbulk] were very good to me and I thought ‘I’ll go and see them’ and of course by going to see them I saw their daughter Joan and as a result we’ve been married 60 odd years.”
And the 91-year-old has done exactly that since he arrived in the country in 1948 – with his long list of achievements including becoming a longstanding member of the Monbulk District Men’s Shed since 2012, and current vice president of the organisation.
“I helped the Senior Citizens Club for over 35 years… I became a Justice of the Peace in 1969, I was chairman of the bench at the Ferntree Gully Courts… I was president of the Rotary Club at Monbulk; past president and life member of the soccer club, and the Probus Club.
“I was the treasurer of the Monbulk High School committee, I’m a member of the inaugural Baynes Park Committee which has turned out very well.
“I was the member of the liaison committee between Sherbrooke and Lilydale councils, amongst other things, and I really enjoyed helping out some other people in these committees.”
An achievement that has remained particularly memorable for Mr Ricketts is the lobbying for the establishment of a police station in Monbulk – which was successful during his time as president of the town’s Business and Traders Assocation.
“[Belgrave] was the closest police station [to] here,” he said.
For his work in the community, Mr Ricketts received an OAM in the General Division for his service to the community of Monbulk in the Australia Day Honours List for 2024.
“I didn’t expect anything really at all, but I was so surprised when I got the letter from the governor and I was appreciated very much, I must say,” he said.
He also received the Mayors Lifetime Achievement Award from Yarra Ranges Council in 2019.
“That was great, because I knew the Mayor [Tony Stevenson] quite well, he [is] a nice person,” Mr Rickets said.
Turning 92 in a mere couple of weeks’ time, the Monbulkian pledged to still do his “best” for the community, and urged other locals to do the same.
