On September 9, Mancel Gray Giddings, OAM, was presented with his Order of Australia Medal at a ceremony at Government House, officiated by Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria.

It was a truly special occasion, and Mancel was delighted to once again put his beloved Wycheproof on the map!

Two Wycheproof-born friends Peta Credlin, AO, and Mervyn Keane (Richmond FC Hall of Fame) were also in attendance to celebrate this honour.

The icing on the cake for him was the Calder Lions’ multiple Premiership victories later that week. Congratulations, Mick, on this well-deserved recognition and for your outstanding service to the Wycheproof community.

What a career!

Officially, Mancel’s OAM was awarded “for service to the community of Wycheproof”.

The following details, however, go so far above and beyond those seven words. Read on, and be amazed:

Mancel Gray Giddings:

For service to the commuity of Wycheproof.

Community – local

• Volunteer $1 Rent a Farmhouse Project.
• Volunteer Meals on Wheels.
• Former member Wycheproof Golf Club.
• Committee Member “Friends of the Mount”.
• Volunteer Wycheproof South Fire Brigade and Country Fire Authority Victoria.
• Former member Wycheproof Farmer’s Federation.
• Member Wycheproof Men’s Shed.
• Volunteer Wycheproof Primary School and Wycheproof Kindergarten.
• Former Committee Member and steward of Wycheproof Agricultural and Pastoral Show Society.
• Former committee member and volunteer Wycheproof Men’s Basketball Club.
• Former Captain and volunteer Wycheproof Tennis Club and associated Labour Day Tennis Tournaments.
• Former committee member Wycheproof VISION.
• Former committee Member and volunteer “Back to Wycheproof” 1967 and 1991.
• Member of Wycheproof RSL.
• Participant (1978) and volunteer Wycheproof King of the Mountain Events.

Community – history

• Founder and owner of Willandra Museum (Wycheproof Local and Pioneer History) 1991.
• Founding member of Wycheproof HES/PS Community Museum at Wycheproof P-12 College.
• Wycheproof Historical Society Society Committee Member.
• Friends of the Wycheproof Railway committee member and volunteer.
• Initiated recent recognition of Waltzing Matilda Jet Engine Truck (World Speed Record in Wycheproof). Wycheproof-Narraport Football Club
• Former Junior President.
• Former Committee Member.
• Former Coach (10 years+) 1979-1986 Under-16s abd Under-17s.
• 5 Premierships (1 Narraport, 4 Wycheproof Narraport) and a few runners-up.
• Former player and winner of 5 Senior Best and Fairest Awards and two Runner-Up Awards.
• Played over 300 games.
• Life Member.
• Recipient of a still-standing record of North Central Football League 4 Best and Fairest Awards (1958, 1960, 1961, 1966) and two Runner- Up awards.
• Vice-Captain Wycheproof- Narraport Seniors.
• Last playing Coach and Captain Narraport Football Club 2 years.
• North Central Interleague Vice-Captain 3 times.
• North Central Runner (injured).
• 10 North Central Interleague matches.
• Coach of winning North Central Under-18s Curtain Raiser team against the Mallee.

Awards and recognition include:

• Wycheproof and District Citizen of the Year Award 2012.
• “Herald Sun/Weekly Times” front page “Best Country Footballers” 2023.
• Asked to train with numerous VFL Football Clubs.
• “Herald Sun/Weekly Time’s National Bush Summit nominee 2025.
• Order of Australia Medal Recipient 2025.

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 23 September 2025.