Mallacoota emergency services leader and community pioneer Leo Harmen op den Brouw ESM has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours List.
The honour recognises his extensive service to the East Gippsland community, spanning over four decades of frontline volunteerism, environmental care, and community development.
Decades of Emergency Leadership Mr op den Brouw’s history with the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) began when he joined the Mallacoota Unit as a volunteer on November 19, 1985.
Since then, he has served in numerous operational frontline roles, including Deputy Controller, and has held the position of Unit Controller since 2017.
His leadership was heavily relied upon during the devastating 2019–20 Black Summer Bushfires.
As the primary representative for the unit, Mr. op den Brouw guided VICSES personnel through an intense four-month local response. His unit managed regional staging areas, provided lighting support in fire-stricken zones, and handled road crash rescues under hazardous conditions.
Notably, Mr op den Brouw and his team facilitated the arrival of a critical Navy barge delivering 30,000 litres of fuel and a two-week supply of food and water for isolated residents.
Under his coordination, the unit also assisted stranded tourists with packing their belongings and safely boarding the vessel to return to Melbourne.
Beyond his emergency work, Mr op den Brouw has been instrumental in shaping local community infrastructure.
In the wake of the 2019–20 fires, he co-founded the Mallacoota and District Recovery Association, the Mallacoota Recovery Thinking Group, and The Sanctuary Mallacoota Youth Centre to support the town’s long-term healing.
His broader service to the district includes:
– Community media and sport: Co-founder of the Mallacoota Boardriders Club (1984) and the Mallacoota Community Radio Station (1993).
– Local government: Former Councillor for the Shire of Orbost (1986–1989).
– Environmental care: Caring for the region’s natural assets as the Gabo Island Caretaker for Parks Victoria from 1999 to 2024, and working as the local Coastcare Coordinator from 1996 to 2004.
– Committees: Serving on local boards for the Mallacoota Ambulance Auxiliary, the Water Board, and the Hall and Recreation Reserve.
The OAM follows several other major recognitions for Mr op den Brouw, who received the Emergency Services Medal (ESM) in 2025, was named Victorian Local Hero in the 2022 Australian of the Year Awards, and was named East Gippsland Citizen of the Year in 2021.
Despite the national recognition, Mr op den Brouw remains grounded.
Speaking shortly after the embargo lifted on the King’s Birthday list, he recalled his initial disbelief upon receiving the official notification.
“Well, when something has the Australian sort of emblem on the letterhead and it’s signed on behalf of the Governor-General, you have to believe it, don’t you?” he said.
Reflecting on the royal connection, he added: “I was a little bit surprised, and thought, ‘Oh well, it’s a great honour, and I’m surprised that King Charles even knows who I am.'”
He emphasised that the award, while a privilege, will not change his daily routine.
“I feel no different today as what I did last week and the week before that,” Mr op den Brouw said.
“I just get up like everyone else, I get up in the morning and go about my business.”
