A Maryborough man has been awarded the Order of Australia medal for his service to the Indigenous community.Selwyn Joel Eggmolesse, better known as Joe, has devoted his life to community service, working for government organisations and non-for-profit groups.

Mr Eggmolesse said hearing of the honour was a great feeling, with “a little bit of excitement and pride”. “After all this time the government decided to say thank you,” Mr Eggmolesse said. “The majority of community workers work 24/7 and don’t get paid.”

Fraser Coast Mayor Gerard O’Connell said Mr. Eggmolesse’s recognition was a moment of enormous pride for the Fraser Coast. “Joe epitomises what living on the Fraser Coast is all about. It’s about giving to community and continuing to appreciate the value of people.”

Mr Eggmolesse was born in Nambour and was diagnosed with leprosy as a child. He was sent to live on Fantome Island for 10 years. Mr Eggmolesse, who proudly calls himself a Kanaka, said he began working in Aboriginal affairs in 1974 in Victoria.

In the 1980s Mr Eggmolesse began work in NSW as a health promotion officer and reported on the environment Aboriginal people were living in. He is also proud of his work on the $2.8 million Namatjira Reserve Project. Mr Eggmolesse returned to Queensland in the 1990s, working in health at the Princess Alexandra hospital in Brisbane, at Wide Bay region Indigenous Health co-ordinator and at Cherbourg Community Health.

Joe retired in 1999 but it didn’t last long. “Eight weeks after being retired I went back to work ,” Mr Eggmolesse said. He finished his career with Fraser Coast Health service in 2006. He said much of his work was convincing Aboriginal clients to get help. “It was our job to help people reach out to the services.” He said his best advice was to encourage people to be a humanist.

Mr Eggmolesse is an adviser to the Fraser Coast Housing Services Board and a former member of the Maryborough Aboriginal and Islanders Elders and Community Leaders Group.

Joe Eggmolesse, AO recipient 2014