Aunty Lyn honoured

BENDIGO woman Lynette Warren has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to the Indigenous community of Bendigo.

Known locally as Lyn, or Aunty Lyn, Mrs Warren has been giving back to her community for over 25 years.

“I’ve been doing it since 1994. That’s when I learnt about my family and who I was because up until then I didn’t know I was Aboriginal,” she said.

Aunty Lyn said she felt “very, very proud” to receive the award, and described it as “an amazing honour”.

The excitement was hard to contain for the honouree who said she had to share the good news with her son.

“It was very, very hard but I only told my son. I had to, he’s up in Shepparton so I couldn’t keep it in,” she said.

Upon receiving her award, Aunty Lyn said the achievement is “fantastic” as an Aboriginal woman.

The award recipient said she hopes more First Nations people can make an impact in their community.

“It’s opened the door for other people to do the work,” she said.

Like all who serve their community, Aunty Lyn wasn’t looking for awards or public acknowledgement, for her it was about service to the community.

“I don’t do it for recognition, I do it because I love it,” she said.

“I really am so proud that I’ve got the recognition, but it’s just been something for me that’s been a journey and healing for me to get out and talk to other people and listen to their problems.”

Chair and director for the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative until 2021, Ms Warren has also been a board member for Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, and for the Centre of Non-Violence, where she still currently works.

Aunty Lyn was inducted into Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2019.