2026 Australia Day Achievement Medallions recipients
The Australia Day Achievement Medallions, first instituted in 1984, are awarded annually by the RSL in recognition of exceptional performances by individuals within our RSL family across Australia.
At the 2026 Australia Day Achievement Medallions ceremony, RSL Victoria honoured three of the organisation’s most dedicated volunteers for their contribution and commitment to the RSL community.
This year’s recipients were:
- Marie Flewellen
- Kerry Oehm
- Peter Turner.
To learn more about this year’s recipients, please read below:
Marie Flewellen
After retirement, Marie started with RSL Victoria in May 2022 in the Volunteer Services team. Over the last three and a half years, Marie has worked in the Veteran and Family Services and Operations teams at ANZAC House.
She started with the setup of, and continues to manage, the RSL ID Card for Volunteers and Veteran and Family Services staff. Marie also helps with the Volunteer Management System set up and maintenance tasks.
Marie has progressed to conducting Sub-Branch Better Impact Information sessions and Administrator Level 1 Training facilitation.
Marie is an outstanding support to the team in all areas of work, and with a background in Event Management, is always enthusiastic to get involved in volunteer events.
Kerry Oehm
Kerry joined RSL Victoria in May 2023 as a volunteer at State Branch.
In that time, she has provided invaluable support to our Advocates by assisting with the reading and interpretation of medical records, significantly reducing the time required to process complex cases.
Her outstanding contribution has streamlined workflows and allowed the Advocates to focus more effectively on client outcomes.
In addition to this, Kerry has willingly transitioned into a new and critical role: digitising the extensive paper files held at the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Hub in Frankston.
Her initiative in taking on this task independently, coupled with her diligence and attention to detail, has not only ensured the success of this project but also single-handedly prevented potential confidentiality risks.
Peter Turner
A veteran of 47 years of distinguished service in the Australian Army (Infantry Corps), Peter is a dedicated Committee Member of the Ocean Grove-Barwon Heads RSL Sub-Branch and the driving force behind the establishment and ongoing success of the Bellarine Veterans Group (BVG).
The group is a community engagement and social inclusion initiative, supporting veterans and their families across the Bellarine Peninsula, where Peter has created a welcoming environment for connection and wellbeing.
He has organised weekly coffee catchups, walking groups, information sessions, and a wide range of inclusive activities such as barefoot bowls, indoor rock climbing, mini golf, and veterans’ retreats for the ex-service community.
His efforts have significantly strengthened local veteran networks, enhanced social connectedness, and contributed to the broader mission of RSL Victoria’s wellbeing and community engagement initiatives.
Congratulations to Marie, Kerry and Peter on this significant achievement, and we thank them for their service to the RSL community.
