When Barbara Holden was told she was receiving an award on the Australian Day honours list she couldn’t help but shed a few tears.
“You can’t imagine how much of a surprise it was. I could not believe it. I burst into tears.”
Mrs Holden, from Sylvania, is a long-standing servant of lawn bowls.
She has held multiple positions at club, district and state level over the past 30 years, growing and helping run the sport, and was also a national umpire for many years.
“Bowls started out as my sport and it turned into my passion and hobby for 32 years,” Mrs Holden said. “It is just such a wonderful thing for women, especially women that are on their own. It is a chance for them to come and be around friends and it is a wonderful environment. It has been something that I have thoroughly enjoyed.”
Mrs Holden was awarded with a Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division, for service to lawn bowls, as part of the Australian Day 2017 honours list.
She started playing bowls when her and her husband retired. Mrs Holden is no longer playing but is often seen down at Taren Point Bowling Club on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where she remains the club secretary.
