{"id":373244,"date":"2026-06-13T16:40:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T06:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=373244"},"modified":"2026-06-13T17:51:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T07:51:29","slug":"three-honoured-on-kings-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/06\/13\/three-honoured-on-kings-birthday\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Honoured On King’s Birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FLASHBACK: Dr Hope O’Chin returned to her old home town Cherbourg in 2024 to launch her book, “An Epistemology Of Belongingness”, at The Ration Shed and pay her respects to her many friends in the community (Photo: Cherbourg Radio)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 13, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

A former Cherbourg and Murgon teacher, a Life Member of the Murgon Golf Club and a Bowenville grazier are among local people recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours list.<\/p>\n

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Dr Hope Gertrude O’Chin, from Kings Beach, was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to the Indigenous community as an artist and educator.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ms O’Chin, who was born in Cherbourg and worked as a teacher at Cherbourg and Murgon State schools in 2000, co-founded The Hope Dreaming Centre in Caloundra in 2025.<\/p>\n

Her involvement in education has included senior roles with Education Queensland, Brisbane Catholic Education and the University of the Sunshine Coast.<\/p>\n

As an artist, she has held many solo exhibitions at major galleries as well as taking part in group exhibitions at The Ration Shed in Cherbourg.<\/p>\n

She has authored many books and received several art commissions, with her works shown at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and adopted for use by the Sunshine Coast Lightning netball team in 2020-21.<\/p>\n