Yannathan local Matthew Coleman has received a fair few calls from Canberra in his lifetime, but he had never received one from Government House until recently, when he was informed the Governor-General was inducting him into the Order of Australia.
The 58 year old has received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his many contributions to local sport, the community and the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, also known as Melbourne Royal.
Mr Coleman has been President and Chairman of Melbourne Royal for the past ten years and a Director since 2011.
The OAM recognises his ongoing contribution to the 178 year old organisation that runs the prestigious Melbourne Royal Show.
“It was unexpected, and it’s not often you get a phone call that says someone is ringing from the Governor-General’s office in Canberra,” he said.
“I guess for anyone who volunteers and gets involved in community organisations, you don’t do it for the recognition, but it is nice that other people recognise you’ve made some contribution.”
Alongside leading Melbourne Royal, he serves as a board member of Showgrounds Nominees, which manages the Melbourne Showgrounds. He is Treasurer of the Catani Cricket Club, a board member of the Kooweerup Longwarry Flood Protection District Advisory Committee and President of the Yannathan Public Hall.
Now semi retired, he runs his family farm in Yannathan, where he was born and raised.
Mr Coleman played junior cricket at Catani before leaving for the University of Melbourne to study agricultural science.
He later travelled to complete a Masters degree in agricultural economics at the University of London.
From there, he spent 25 years as a federal public servant, serving roles with the Indigenous Land Corporation and Wheat Exports Australia.
Much of that time was spent in Canberra, where Mr Coleman and his wife Jo began raising their three children.
About 14 years ago, the family returned to Yannathan, where Mr Coleman purchased the family dairy farm.
From there, he became increasingly active in volunteering.
“I think people who really get involved universally tend to say they probably get more out of it than they put in.
“I think that’s true for anyone who contributes in a meaningful way to anything, whether it’s as big as the Melbourne Show or as local as the Catani Cricket Club.”
As he helped out at the cricket club while his children played, he discovered there was a shortage of players in the senior side.
Today, he captains the third eleven.
As a farmer, he also joined the board of the Kooweerup Longwarry Flood Protection District Advisory Committee, which oversees more than 500 kilometres of drains across the former swamp.
For the past five years, he has been President of the Yannathan Public Hall, a substantial, almost century old facility in the quiet town.
“Our local community is proud of our hall. I think it is quite a grand old hall.”
Mr Coleman joined Melbourne Royal when the organisation was advertising for a new Director. He was elected President in 2016 and has held both roles since.
Many people know Melbourne Royal for the week and a half in September, but the society operates year round.
“We have hundreds of paying clients each year who come onsite and use the showgrounds and facilities for various events, sometimes agriculture related, but not always.
“But ultimately our objective is to celebrate excellence in agriculture. Whether it’s celebrating excellence in producers, the produce they grow, or secondary stage products, that is why the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria exists.”
Despite the attention on himself, Mr Coleman is proud Australia has a system to recognise the contributions of its citizens.
“Obviously, I really appreciate the award, and I also think it’s great that Australia has a system for recognising people in society who have made a meaningful contribution in whatever their field of interest.
“I think it’s a good thing that Australia has its own awards because in my lifetime they used to be British awards, so it’s good that we now have a genuine national system.”
