Nine volunteers from the Western Plains area who have dedicated decades of their lives to supporting organisations that benefit the community have been recognised with the Crown Lands Service Recognition Award. 

The recipients include: 

Over 30 years: 

• Barbara Moritz from the Lightning Ridge Historical Society

Over 20 years

• Beryl Leigo from the Lila Leigo Centre Reserve at Wanaaring

Over 10 years: 

• Betty Taylor from the Lila Leigo Centre Reserve
• Deborah Myors from the Lila Leigo Centre Reserve
• Peter Jackson from the Lila Leigo Centre Reserve
• John Pickering from the Cumborah Recreation Reserve
• James Warden from the Cumborah Recreation Reserve
• David Smith from the Walgett Pistol Club Reserve
• Graham Anderson from the Lightning Ridge Historical Society 

"Congratulations to all Barwon recipients of the Crown Lands Service Recognition Award," MP Roy Butler said. 

"It takes a special kind of dedication on the part of these great volunteers to do what they do.

"These dedicated people often go under the radar, but they deserve some recognition, and these awards make sure that their significant contributions do not go completely unnoticed," Mr Butler said. 

Barbara Moritz joined the Lightning Ridge Historical Society in 1993.

"The old timers saw I was a reliable person with genuine interest and passion. They told me stories and gave me memorabilia," Ms Moritz said. 

"It's been over 30 years of learning and giving back to Australia through establishing an attraction to Lightning Ridge." 

  Barbara Moritz, Lightning Ridge. IMAGE: Mark Coulton MP

Ms Moritz was born in the United States and spent time living in Germany. 

She said it was a "big surprise" to receive the award. 

"All I wanted to do was my job and explore an interest I had.

"It's nice of Crown Lands to keep an eye on us," she said.

Ms Moritz hopes that with the arrival of the new Opal Centre coming soon to Lightning Ridge more visitors will also drop in at the Lightning Ridge Historical Society to learn more about how the regional town came to be.

Overall, in the Barwon electorate, 24 people received the Crown Land Service Recognition award. 

 "It is good to have Crown Land Reserves, but when you think about it, they would not exist without the efforts of the volunteers who look after them," Mr Butler said.