ROMSEY resident Peter Mitchell has been recognised in the Macedon Ranges Australia Day Awards for his contribution to the Romsey community for many years.
He received one of council’s Community Achievement Awards for his contribution to the local community.
Mr Mitchell has been active in the historical society, the former Romsey Shire Council, the Romsey Water Trust, the Romsey Sewerage Authority, the Lancefield Cemetery Trust, the Rotary Club, Romsey Primary School, and the scouts.
He was involved with the Romsey Uniting Church’s and the Romsey Primary School’s 150 year celebrations and is a great supporter of local sporting groups, he has helped raise money for new tennis courts and a new sports complex.
Mr Mitchell also contributed significantly to the book When Memory Turns the Key—the history of the Shire of Romsey and followed this with Romsey: a veritable Garden of Eden.
Mr Mitchell served as a Shire of Romsey councillor for three terms in the ‘70s and ‘80s and describes those years as a time of major development in the town.
More recently he served as a member of one of the Romsey Main Street sub committees for the RRBATA township rejuvenation project.
“We had an amazing group of people working on those projects and I know it is through the hard work of our residents that Romsey is the great place that we have today,” Mr Mitchell said.
He added that as the town has grown new residents have brought new life and ideas to the area.
“The drive and ability that has been brought to the town is great. The energy is amazing. It is rewarding to see how people are so involved,” he said.
His book Romsey: a veritable Garden of Eden is something of which Mr Mitchell is extremely proud. While being the author of the book he pays homage to others who worked on the project acknowledging the efforts and teamwork that ensured the success of the publication. He is particularly praiseworthy of the books supporting writers Alan Jackson, Carol Moore and Gavin Smith.
“I spent six years on that book in between work and heart attacks. Some people urged me to give it up for my own sake. But I believe if you commit to a project you see it through to the end,” Mr Mitchell said.
Romsey: a veritable Garden of Eden is a story of the families and rural history of Romsey.
The book is 312 pages and Mr Mitchell penned the entire tome in long hand.
“There was not a computer in sight,” he joked.
Another project in which he takes great pride is the upgrade of the Lancefield cemetery, saying that it was another great achievement for the district and a project the community should be very proud of.
Mr Mitchell is a humble recipient of his award, praising many who worked with him on the projects for which he is recognised. He is extremely proud of Romsey, his town – just as his town is proud of him.
