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Veteran Langwarrin CFA member Bill Ellis has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of more than six decades of service to firefighting and community safety. (Gary Sissons: 529628)
Double honours It was a rare and fitting coincidence on Australia Day, with two long-serving firefighters whose careers are deeply linked to Langwarrin CFA recognised at the national level for their service to the community. Veteran members Bill Ellis and Andrew Garth Johnson were both honoured in the 2026 Australia Day Honours. Bill was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of more than 60 years
of service to firefighting and community safety. A stalwart of Langwarrin CFA, he has responded to countless incidents across the fast-growing Langwarrin and the Greater Cranbourne region, mentoring younger volunteers and becoming a widely respected figure within both the brigade and the local community. “Firefighting, in my opinion, is 20 minutes of exhilaration, 20 hours of hard work. And two hours of boredom,” the veteran, who resides in
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Cranbourne West now, said. Andrew, who spent the majority of his 46-year emergency services career with Langwarrin CFA before transferring to Drouin CFA just weeks ago, was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM). He has been recognised not only for his operational leadership but also for his advocacy on mental health within emergency services, drawing on his lived experience to help reduce stigma
among firefighters. “I’m very humbled to get it. I did not see that coming at all. It was a shock,” Andrew said. “I don’t think I’ll celebrate it. I don’t see it as a celebration. “I’m very humble about it because a lot of people do a lot of things in CFA, and I just see it as part of my job. It’s what I volunteered to do, and that’s why I did it.” See inside for coverage
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