Born in Melbourne, John Wyatt Allan, was baptised, confirmed and married at Christ Church in the Anglican Pastoral District of Mount Gambier and has been congratulated by his Parish on receiving an Australia Day Award.

The 83 year old was honoured with an Order of Australia Medal for many years of voluntary community involvement which included lengthy work within his church.

With wife Heather, whose support he said enabled him to give what his Award Citation listed as his ‘service to the community of Mount Gambier’.

John Allan served on the Parish finance committee and turned tables by becoming the strong supporter of Heather who ran the [still] highly successful cake  stall at the Church fair for many years.

His widespread community involvement included 21 years of voluntary service as a Mount Gambier city counsellor during which he was Deputy Mayor and an Alderman at various times. He was also a member of Council’s finance committee for some years as well as of various well regarded City and regional committees including the Limestone Coast Area Consultative Committee.  He is widely seen as a popular and respected civic stalwart”.

John Allan, an active member of Scouts SA for 50 years and Lower South East Commissioner for ten of those, also found time for Probus Men’s Club [two terms as president] Lakes Rotary Club [a founding member]in which he also served as President and is a past president of the Mount Gambier of the Mount Gambier Retirees group and he still serves as a Justice of the Peace, offering weekly voluntary hours.

John says he was humbled and surprised by the award “there are countless people across the city who have enriched the community through voluntary service”and he proudly mentions his sister Viviene Hutchinson now in her 90’s who has filled many and various important roles in the Parish over many years including leadership in Mothers Union [managing the MU’s ac.care mission efforts] and as a long time convenor of the successful cake stall