A lifetime of outstanding service to the Canungra community was recognised when Peter Geiger was awarded an Order of Australia Medal.
In the Australian honours system, appointments to the Order of Australia confer the highest recognition for outstanding achievement and service.
Peter has lived all of his life in Canungra and his commitment to the community has seen him undertake many roles.
He was the inaugural Captain of the Canungra Auxiliary Fire and Rescue, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) in 1979 and remained the Captain until he retired from the service in 2015.
Peter has been a volunteer with the Canungra Rural Fire Service since 1982 and is currently a Fire Warden.
Other contributions to the community include:
Member, Canungra RSL Fishing Club;
Charter Member, past President, Bulletin editor, Lions Club of Canungra, 23 years.
Inaugural President of Moriarty Park Sporting complex Canungra, 1986.
President of Canungra Rural Youth, 1972.
Proprietor/Director, Geiger Motors, 38 years.
Peter and his wife, Mary-Lou were advised about the award prior to Australia Day, but were not allowed to tell anyone, even family.
Mary-Lou rang their children to tell them to gather at their daughter, Nacole’s house at 11am on Australia Day for an announcement from their parents.
“They were all talking about it and wondering what was going on,” said Peter.
With the children gathered on Australia Day, Mary-Lou read out the Governor-General’s letter stating Peter had won the award.
One of the projects Peter is most proud of is the establishment of the Canungra Ambulance Service and commencement of construction which started in his term as President of the Lions Club of Canungra.
“Dad was on the Ambulance Board, before the QAS days, and there was no ambulance station here,” he said.
“The Lions Club started raising money for the station, about 18 months after the Club started.”
“We were just having raffles at the pub and got a lot of interest but struggled to get financial support from the town.”
After a long meeting at the Canungra Hotel, Peter was happy to accept financial assistance from developer Mike Gore.
This was enough to get the project underway.
“We had $13,000 bucks, concreteers, brickies, carpenters in the Lions Club.”
“Within a month we had the slab down.”
“Once the town saw it was happening, they really got behind it.” “
“We had a thermometer outside the post office showing how much money we’d raised.”
Peter will be presented with the insignia of the award later this year.
