Royal Life Saving Society Queensland is proud to announce that two of our members have been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of their outstanding service and dedication to life saving (water safety and drowning prevention).
This prestigious national honour reflects their long-standing commitment, leadership, and tireless contribution to saving lives and strengthening aquatic safety across Queensland and Australia. We congratulate both recipients on this well-deserved recognition and thank them for their exceptional service to our organisation and the community.
Mrs Lynda Barry OAM
Mrs Lynda Barry has rendered outstanding service to lifesaving and community safety through more than 37 years of dedicated volunteer leadership, training, administration and operational service.
An active member of the Ithaca–Caloundra City Life Saving Club since 1989, Ms Barry continues to serve as a patrolling lifesaver. Throughout her service she has held numerous senior volunteer roles including Club Captain (2005–present), Deputy President, Club Secretary, Membership Officer, Information Protection Officer and Fundraiser. She was awarded Life Membership in 2009.
A passionate advocate for junior lifesaving, Mrs Barry has served continuously since 2002 as Junior Lifeguard Administrator and Coach, overseeing training programs, child safety compliance and volunteer development. She has also been instrumental in modernising club governance systems through the introduction of electronic forms, payment platforms and policy frameworks.
Mrs Barry is an accredited First Aid and CPR Trainer, a Grey Medallion Program trainer, and has represented Australia through her involvement in World Life Saving Championships as both competitor and team manager.
As at June 2025, Mrs Barry has logged more than 5,800 volunteer patrol hours and remains an active operational member.
Beyond the club, she is a founding member and Treasurer of Life Saving Support Services Inc, helping establish a strong foundation fund that provides grants and financial assistance to volunteer lifesavers.
Her extensive service with Royal Life Saving Society Queensland and Australia includes roles as State Sports Committee Member, Volunteer Trainer and Assessor, State Team Manager at National Championships, Sport Official, international assistant trainer, and Chief Organiser and Referee of Royal Life Saving Queensland beach carnivals for more than two decades. She also holds national accreditation as an Official.
Mrs Barry’s service has previously been recognised through the National Medal, Fellowship and Companion honours with Royal Life Saving Society Australia, multiple Service Crosses and Bars, and induction into the Mark McArdle MP Community Hall of Fame.
Mrs Patricia Barry OAM
Mrs Patricia Barry has been a cornerstone of the Ithaca–Caloundra City Life Saving Club since joining in 1982, contributing more than four decades of exceptional volunteer service, leadership and community engagement.
Beginning as a club chaperone, she has gone on to serve in numerous vital roles including Honorary Secretary (since 2008), Public Relations Officer (since 2012) and Principal Fundraiser (since 2008). She was awarded Life Membership in 2010 and continues to actively patrol Bulcock Beach.
As at May 2025, Mrs Barry has contributed over 4,300 volunteer beach patrol hours, with service continuing.
Her impact extends strongly into education and community safety through her work with Royal Life Saving Society Queensland as a Community Trainer, delivering Water Safety, CPR, First Aid and Grey Medallion programs. Since 2021, she has coordinated the beach training component of the Sunshine Coast Multicultural Program, supporting culturally diverse communities to gain essential lifesaving skills.
Mrs Barry is also a founding member and long-serving Secretary of Life Saving Support Services Inc, strengthening volunteer support and operational capability across the sector.
Her broader community contribution includes long-standing service with U3A Sunshine Coast, where she has volunteered as a French language tutor since 2008, a First Aid tutor, and was awarded Life Membership in 2022. She has also supported international cultural exchange through the Friendship Force of the Sunshine Coast, serving in ambassadorial, translation and coordination roles.
Professionally, Mrs Barry devoted over 20 years to education, including 24 years at St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, where she served as a Secondary Teacher, Head of Languages and Teaching Practicum Coordinator.
Her service has been recognised through multiple Royal Life Saving awards, including Service Cross and Service Medal Bars, Fellowship of Royal Life Saving Society Australia, and the Bronze Medallion.
