A DESIRE to be involved in and contribute to the community he lived in has resulted in the awarding of a Medal in the Order of Australia in the General Division (OAM) for Barcaldine woolgrower Wally Miller.
Walter Cecil Miller, Coreena, received the Queen’s Birthday honour for services to primary industry, local government and to the community of Barcaldine.
He has lived at Coreena all his life, a property taken up by his grandfather in 1928, and has operated the Coreena poll Merino Stud since 1980.
The stud received the Queensland Ram of the Year award at the Queensland state sheep show on eight occasions, and won the grand champion poll ram ribbon at the Melbourne Sheep and Wool Show in 1995 and 2000.
A dedicated sheep breeder, Mr Miller said his greatest love was his work as a board member and chairman of the Longreach Pastoral College.
“I loved seeing young people develop and go out as confident people ready to make their mark,” he said.
The decline of the college’s influence is a concern to him, and he said government policy had a lot to answer for.
“Competency based training is a recipe for mediocrity, and I don’t approve of the national curriculum either,” he said. “It’s very sterile – there’s no incentive to do things in any other way.”
Since Mr Miller’s presidency of the Queensland Merino Stud Sheepbreeders’ Association, from 1995 to 1998, sheep numbers in the state have declined from 24 million to 4 million, and his family has joined those erecting fences to control wild dog numbers.
“I think the outlook is positive really,” he said. “People have just got to work hard to get rewards, and I have been very lucky in having a supportive family, with my son Ross being able to take over the running of things when I had commitments.
“I’m just happy to have been of assistance.”
- President, Queensland Merino Stud Sheepbreeders' Association Incorporated, 1995-1998; committee member, 1985-2000 and 2003-2007.
- Queensland Delegate, Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders, for 6 years.
- Queensland Delegate, Rampower, for 6 years; former Merino breeding program.
- Judged Merino Stud Sheep at Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth Royal Shows, Wagin and numerous regional shows.
- Member, Ministerial Rural Industry Taskforce, 1996-1998.
- Chairman, Longreach Pastoral College, 1990-2003; board member, 1980-2003.
- Councillor, Aramac Shire Council, 1970-1985.
- President, Barcaldine Pastoral, Agricultural, and Horticultural (PA&H) Society, 1976-1980; patron, since 2012; committee member, for many years; life member, 1982.
- President, Barcaldine Artesian Festival, 1980.
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
