Yass's Rowena Abbey receives an OAM for service to local government and town

That is how Rowena Abbey will celebrate on King's Birthday when she receives an OAM for her service to both local government and the community of Yass.

Ms Abbey described the achievement as an "absolute honour" and said she was "very excited to be both nominated and awarded".

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"It was overwhelming when I found out it was actually happening."

She was sitting and relaxing at home when she received a phone call that would end up being one of the best in her life.

"I was asked why I hadn't replied to the email regarding the award and it was because it went to an old address," she said.

"I was a little surprised because I usually do it for other people, so to be awarded one myself was a bit of a change."

Ms Abbey, who is best known as the Yass Valley Council mayor from 2012 to 2021 and was also a councillor from 2004 to 2008, said the most rewarding thing about being mayor was knowing the people in town.

"I got to know a lot more about the community I lived in and that was important because I wasn't from Yass originally," she said.

"It helped me understand what was going on in the area and what needed to change.

"It was also lovely to know people from the area."

Ms Abbey is the director of the Yass District Education Foundation, a role she has had since 2007, and she explained why she stayed with the organisation for over 15 years.

"It's a great organisation that encourages young school leavers to have a go at a university education or an apprenticeship," she said.

"I was lucky to have parents who could and did encourage me to try different things, but not everyone has that opportunity.

"That group does a fantastic job in supporting young kids."

In the local government sector, Ms Abbey was the former chair of the NSW Joint Organisations Forum, chair of the Canberra Region Joint Organisation from 2016 to 2021, a Local Government Ministerial Advisory Committee member from 2019 to 2021 and a Country Mayors' Association of NSW executive member from 2018 to 2021.

Her community roles include being an Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee, Department of Industry and Science and Resources member since 2022, chair of the Regional Development Australia Southern Inland since 2021 and a Canberra Business Chamber member.

She was also a member of the Yass Valley Men's Shed from 2012 to 2021, a National Arboretum Foundation board member from 2016 to 2018, director of Yass Valley Aged Care, a former Audit and Risk Sub-Committee member and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

In the primary industry sector, she has been chair of the South Eastern Livestock Exchange since 2008, director of Bellevale Cattle Company/Abco Agency, director of Robertson Landscape and Haulage and director of Cue Energy Resources director from 2014 to 2015.

She was also chair of the Audit and Risk Committee from 2014 to 2015 and director of Essential Energy from 2002 to 2012.

In the business sector, she was the Australian Inland Energy Water Infrastructure director from 2004 to 2005, Syndication, ANZ Investment Bank director from 1997 to 1998, Optus Vision treasurer from 1995 to 1997 and Ampolex treasurer from 1992 to 1995.

Rowena Abbey was one of two people from the Yass region to receive an OAM, with the other being Susan Owen from Murrumbateman.

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