Dubbo's Mick O'Neill was named as a recipient of an Order of Australia Medal on Australia Day after his tireless work over the past 15 or so years repairing and improving the health of local waterways.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mick is the co-founder and vice-president of the local not-for-profit group, Inland Waterways OzFish.
Mick has been able to establish a strong volunteer committee of like-minded Dubbo people over the past decade and a half and they have conducted highly successful fundraising initiatives and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the local community. The proceeds of these fundraising efforts are spent on improving the health of the local waterways. In 2016 alone, Mick and the committee orchestrated $60,000 worth of river improvement projects such as re-snagging and contracted weed removal. They have also purchased the River Repair Bus and planted thousands of trees, and collected countless trailer loads of rubbish.
Mick and his Inland Waterways OzFish committee have also organised restocking and releasing native Murray Cod and Yellow Belly into the region's waterways. In 2020 the committee literally got up to their elbows in mud, to help NSW DPI, fishers, farmers, and their mates rescue hundreds of native fish from drought affected reached of the Macquarie River.
One of O'Neill's groups biggest fundraisers, one that brings thousands of locals and interstate visitors to the region annually, is the Lake Burrendong Fishing Classic. Entrants compete for a community donated prize pool of around $50,000 in cash and prizes. Mick was one of the the driving forces behind getting hundreds sponsors to donate cash, goods and services for the community-run fishing fundraiser, which sadly has been cancelled for the past two years due to drought and then COVID-19.
Mick and the committee have also completed re-snagging efforts, such as the "Big Wood for the Macquarie" habitat action project that saw a total of 120 large hardwood snags introduced to the Macquarie River.
Mick also has also spent countless Sundays or workday afternoons on the highway roadside or along the river bank collecting rubbish, he does this on his own accord for the simple reason that it makes Dubbo look better and improves the health of the waterways.
Mick is recognised for his work not only to rid the region of rubbish but also for his ability to bind the IWRA committee together and drive it to new heights.
These qualities make him an extremely worthy recipient of an OAM. On behalf of the entire Dubbo community, congratulations 'Eagle' O'Neill.
