A lifetime of community service honoured

"I feel very honoured and I'm very humbled by it," said Mr Hietbrink.

The 77-year-old Guyra resident has lived in the area since 2006 and has spent much of the time since serving the local communities.

From 2008 to 2016 he served as mayor of Guyra Shire Council.

Mr Hietbrink also chaired the Guyra Australia Day Committee and Local Area Health Committee with Armidale Regional Council during those years, and has been a member of the Traffic Advisory Council since 2017.

He is a former member of the council's Business Advisory Committee, Regional Growth Advisory Committee and Local Representative Advisory Committee.

"I believe it is important to put back into a community what you derive from it," said Mr Hietbrink.

"I've enjoyed living in Guyra and when I was living in Sydney, I enjoyed living there.

"So I'm a great believer in working for a community for the betterment of a community so that people can enjoy where they live."

Mr Hietbrink's history of community service hasn't stopped at council roles. He is a committee member of the Guyra and District Chamber of Commerce, serving as president from 2019 to 2021 and secretary since 2021.

Since 2006 he has been a member of The Rotary Club of Guyra, serving as president from 2019 to 2021 and secretary since 2021. He was also presented with the Paul Harris Fellow recognition in 2018.

He was chair of the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services from 2014 to 2020 and is a former member of the State Board.

Mr Hietbrink is a former chair of the Border Rivers Gwydir Catchment Management Authority, a current member of the Guyra Neighbourhood Centre and, since 2015, president of the Guyra RSL Sub-Branch.

"Everything I've done, I've enjoyed," said Mr Hietbrink. "I've enjoyed seeing the results of the input that I've had.

"I've worked in a number of organisations and associations in the community and most of the work has been behind the scenes, helping them put together strategic plans or together revised constitutions, so that those associations can improve the way they do business.

"But it's been very rewarding just working with people, because it's not just a one man show, it's working with people to achieve results."

Prior to his life in Guyra, Mr Hietbrink served in the Australian Defence Force and was living in Baulkham Hills (30km north-west of Sydney) for 25 years.

"I was called up for national service when Vietnam was on and I was put through officer training, and became an army officer," he said.

"Then I signed on and became a regular army officer and I stayed in the regular army for 12 years. I finished there as a Major. Then I went into the Reserve and spent another 11 years in the Reserve, terminating as a Lieutenant Colonel.

"The whole time I was in both, my specialty was training. I was responsible for training people who did the training. So, it was a very rewarding occupation."

Mr Hietbrink has been honoured with an Australian Service Medal (1945-1975), a Defence Long Service Medal, Australian Defence Medal and Anniversary of National Service Medal for his time with the Australian Army and Reserves.

He began serving the local community while living in Baulkham Hills; as a Group Scout Leader, a Charter Member for the Rotary Club of Kellyville, and President of the Parents and Friends Association of Our Lady of Lourdes in Baulkham Hills.

Mr Hietbrink encourages people to get involved in community organisations.

"Guyra and Armidale and any other regional or rural community only survives when volunteers get in and do most of the work," he said.

"You can't rely on government or councils to help build resilience, that's got to come from the grassroots.

"Therefore, I completely encourage anyone to get involved in community organisations and associations and work for the betterment of the volunteers."