IT MIGHT only have a small community of about 250 people, but the village of Nundle can add yet another three Australia Day awards to its tally this year.
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Best known for its gold mining history and historic buildings, such as the Nundle Woollen Mill, the old Court House and Police Station, Peel Inn and Primitive Methodist Church, this tourist destination now boasts two Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) recipients, David Leonard and Robert Schofield (pictured), and an Australian Fire Service Medal for Charles May.
Mr Schofield has been the licensee of the Peel Inn Hotel for 47 years and is president of the Nundle Australia Day committee.
He was awarded his OAM for service to the community, particularly in local government.
"I'm humbled and excited that my peers in Nundle nominated me for this award," said Mr Schofield, whose family connections to the inn date back to the early 1850s.
Mr Schofield was a Tamworth Regional councillor from 2004-08, a Nundle Shire councillor from the early 1980s to 2004, and deputy mayor, 2002-04.
Mr Leonard, was awarded his OAM for service to the local community through his work with the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL).
He is a past vice president and secretary of the Nundle Australia Day Committee.
He has been an RSL member since 1966, and president of the Nundle branch since 2012, and is its trustee and pensions officer.
His other achievements include: press secretary, founding member and secretary of Nundle Bushwalking Club, as well as secretary and founding member of the Nundle/Hanging Rock Mature Men's Group; former chairman of the Nundle Retirement Village Management Committee, and current committee member, and a foundation member of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service's Nundle/Hanging Rock Volunteer Support Group.
Charles May joined the Nundle Bush Fire Brigade in 1965 and has been a member of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) for many years.
He has held the positions of captain, honorary deputy fire control officer and honorary fire control officer for the Nundle Shire.
Mr May's Australian Fire Service Medal citation said as deputy fire control officer and fire control officer, he showed outstanding dedication and commitment to volunteering and service to the community.
Mr May has been responsible for equipping the Nundle brigade station with a modern fleet of diesel-powered tankers well ahead of many other districts in the region.
Previous Australia Day award recipients at Nundle have been Wombramurra Black Simmental stud principal Peter Howarth, Tom McClelland and Don Davis.
