Queen’s Birthday honours: 50,000 trees later, landcare crusader is awarded

FIVE weeks was a long time for Lynette Holdsworth to wait before finding out she would be awarded an Order of Australia Medal.

“I was notified about six weeks ago that I could be getting it,” she said.

“I had to wait five weeks before they sent a final letter. I wasn’t allowed to say anything to anyone.”

The Melton West resident was given her OAM for her work with conservation and the environment, mainly as founder and president of Friends of Toolern Creek since 2005. Since then, she has arranged the planting of more than 50,000 trees.

Ms Holdworth helped start the Eynesbury Landcare Group and was involved in the Save the Red Gums Brook and  Twins Abbey Road projects.

“I’m very proud. I love the environment,” she said.