Peter McManus ‘humbled’ to receive King’s Birthday honour

He said he had received “fantastic support” in “everything that I’ve tackled”.

“I've achieved lots of things, but I have not done them on my own,” Mr McManus said.

“You can’t do things on your own, and I’ve got great support from lots of other people.

“It’s not just me, it’s the whole Dookie community that gets behind projects.”

He said there were many highlights of his involvement in the community, but working for Dookie Primary School, which was what initially brought him to town in 1978, was one of the main things he felt a “great sense of achievement” for.

“I came up with a pretty grand plan for the school to put in a fantastic adventure playground, put in asphalt courts, and make what was sort of the end of the school yard into a nice oval,” he said.

“In that time too, I was pretty active in the Keep Australia Beautiful campaign.

“We got a major award one year for the most improved school ground in Victoria.

“That was fantastic, and that happened because we had family work days (where) almost every single family came along and were involved.

“We got a huge amount of work done.”

Mr McManus said he was “very fortunate” that he moved to Dookie to be the principal of the primary school, and that he and his wife decided to settle down in the town.

“I really love the Dookie community and the district,” he said.

“(My) initial six years as principal of the school ... was sort of a catalyst for my wife and I deciding this is a great little place, (and choosing to) settle here.

“My wife, my children and myself, were very very warmly welcomed.

“That meant being involved in things was enjoyable ... I've just gone on from there.”

Some of Mr McManus’ most notable community involvements include being a member of the Dookie CFA Brigade for 20 years, and a member of the Dookie Lions Club since 1985.

He’s taken on various roles at different times over his years on the Lions Club, including as president, secretary, treasurer, and coordinating the Drum Muster Program and Annual Community Bike Ride weekend.

He said all the things the Dookie Lions Club had achieved had been another big highlight for him.

“(It’s) probably my longest running single activity that I’m involved in and do lots of work through,” Mr McManus said.

“(It’s) been great to see projects come, and you get behind it and get it done.

“It was a great satisfaction seeing a project completed.”

Some of the recognition Mr McManus has received over the years includes being named the Goulburn North-East Teacher of the year in 1980, being an International Teaching Fellowship Award recipient in 1984 and receiving a Greater Shepparton City Council Australia Day Award in 2007.

He said part of his inspiration was his parents, who were “active community people”, and whom he’d “always had them as role models”.

But another part of Mr McManus’ inspiration was his late wife, Suzy, who was “always there to back me up” and “support me in the various things that we took on”.

“My late wife was very tolerant of me being involved in things, but she also encouraged me,” he said.

“She was also a great helper, particularly in the Lions Club.”

Mr McManus said as long as he was active and able, he would keep getting involved in the Dookie community and lending a hand where he could.

“It’s really important that we maintain the great little community we’ve got, so to whatever end I can be involved, I am,” he said.

“We’ve got a whole lot of good things in place that ensure that things go on and on.

“It’s been a great journey. I’m glad we made that decision to stay in Dookie all those years ago.”