King's honour for Rotarian Ian Heard

Mr Heard has received an Order of Australia Medal for his service to the community after more than 40 years with the Rotary Club of Warrnambool East.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth in September, Mr Heard's honour comes from newly crowned King Charles - a man he met "a long, long time ago" during the then prince's visit to Tower Hill back in the 1970s.

"I love the honour and it's something that's hard to swallow, understand or receive. I never thought I'd ever get one," he said.

He credits his "lovely" upbringing on his parent's dairy farm in Noorat for inspiring him to join Rotary after seeing his own father serve on various committees.

"I just wanted to do community work and keep busy, help people and Rotary did all that for me," he said.

Mr Heard started his working career selling farm machinery and Holden cars in Mortlake before eventually going into insurance.

He open his own insurance business - Ian W Heard and Associates - on the corner of Fairy and Koroit streets in Warrnambool.

As an agent for AMP, his business was a success and employee numbers grew.

"I was very fortunate to be successful there. I got second in country Victoria for sales for a couple of years," he said.

Mr Heard retired early to care for his wife, but that also led to having more time to spend on Rotary projects.

Among those projects was a visit to Western Samoa in the 1990s and getting the popular Hole-in-One golf fundraiser on Pertobe Road during summer off the ground.

"That's been magnificent. Last year they took in over $100,000," he said.

"I love helping people and Rotary has given me that pleasure. The hole-in-one, the bottle drives. We built our own barbecue and we used to go around everywhere."

The 82-year-old said he had to give up his involvement with Rotary because of his health, but he plans to be back helping with the hole-in-one this summer.

"About two years ago I started having falls due to sleep apnea," he said.

"I started falling and breaking bones so I lost my licence.

"The world changed for me unfortunately. I had a boat and loved fishing but I had to give it all away."

About three or four months ago he ran out of his medication and, due to pharmacy shortages, had to go without until recently.

"That affected me greatly. I went down hill very quickly," he said.

It also meant he wasn't able to get out in his garden, which he loves.

But despite that he said he had "no complaints at all".

"I've been lucky health wise except the last couple of years but I'm going to get back," he said.

"Nothing's going to stop me.

"I've loved life, I really have.

"I've been involved and kept busy."

Among his Rotary roles was organising the annual fishing trip to the Glenelg river, which he said was "marvellous".

"The fellowship side of Rotary was the thing that I loved," Mr Heard said.

"I really got a lot of buzz out of that."

Among his other roles with Rotary were serving as president, youth services director, international director, vocational services director and member of the international fellowship of golfing Rotarians.

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