This year Bourke’s Victor Bartley received the prestigious honour of an Order of Australia Medal (OAM), but to him, it’s nothing compared to the gratitude he gets from his community. 

Australia Day saw the recognition of hard-working, high achieving, and community focused Australians on a local and national level. 

For those who know him, the recognition of Victor Bartley for service to local government and the community of Bourke came as no surprise. 

“They say OAM stands for Old Aboriginal Man, which I suppose is true in my case,” Mr Bartley said. 

After sixteen years serving as a Bourke Shire Councillor and on various boards and committees across the Bourke community, it’s a well earned accolade for the 76 year old Wiradjuri man. 

As a proud Vietnam veteran, Mr Bartley has upheld the local RSL Sub-branch and Legacy charity since returning to Bourke over twenty years ago. 

He is also on the hospital’s health commission and the Bourke Aboriginal Corporation Health Service’s board. 

“I know that a lot of things I do never eventuate, but when things do eventuate for a committee or group or anyone, it just makes me feel good,” Mr Bartley said.

Successful or not, his efforts are all for a town that he loves. 

A young Victor Bartley lied about being Indigenous so that he could serve his country in the Vietnam war. (Supplied)

“To me, it’s a great town.”

“There’s a minority of people who make it bad for the greater majority of good people.”

While national recognition in an OAM is rewarding, Mr Bartley said it has nothing on the appreciation of his community. 

“I’m proud and have been humbled to be receiving this award, but when a lot of Aboriginals talk to me and say ‘Hey Victor, you’ve done good’, it just makes me feel that extra bit,” he said. 

“My friends who I call my brothers - who I served with in Vietnam - when they say the same thing, my head is in the clouds.”

“I must have done good for these guys to say so.”