Fudeko Reekie OAM has had an incredible impact on the community of Bathurst.  

Born in the remote hills of Japan as a rice farmer’s daughter in 1936, Fudeko’s adventurous spirit took her to study in Tokyo, the first person from her village to do so.  From there, she won a World University Service Scholarship to study in Canada, then lived in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea before settling in Bathurst in 1975 with her husband and three children.  

In Bathurst, Fudeko worked for 35 years as a Japanese teacher at All Saints’ College.  Also an accomplished artist, many of her artworks adorn the walls of various Bathurst institutions.  As a a volunteer, Fudeko’s contribution was pivotal in founding Japanese cultural exchanges for the broader community of Bathurst, which she continues to this day.

“There were no textbooks available to suit the syllabus in those days, so I wrote them,” she explains.

Fudeko authored numerous Japanese language textbooks, study guides and exam preparation textbooks to fill the hole she identified.  After her retirement in 2010, Fudeko authored three non-fiction books about her life, her beloved city of Bathurst and its sister city Ohkuma.  

Fudeko worked hard to procure donations from Japan to build a designated space in All Saints’ College for learning Japanese. Built in traditional Japanese style and set among Japanese gardens, with sliding shoji doors, displays of Japanese dolls and toys, and Japanese water-colour art painted by Fudeko, the scene was set for a perfect environment for Japanese cultural immersion for her students. In 2010, in recognition of her immense contribution, this building was named the ‘Fudeko Reekie Language Centre’.  

In addition to her invaluable role in founding the sister city relationship between Bathurst and Ohkuma in Fukushima Japan, Fudeko established a sister school for All Saint’s College; Yachiyo Shoin Gakuen in Chiba, Japan. Donations from Ohkuma enabled the creation of the Japanese gardens by the Macquarie River, a tranquil setting enjoyed by many Bathurst residents.  

In these gardens stands a Japanese maple tree honouring Fudeko. She also has a cherry blossom tree planted in her honour in the Japanese gardens of Scots All Saints, and a tree recognising her contributions to Bathurst on the Living Legends Avenue.

For her years of dedicated work, Fudeko was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community of Bathurst in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours list.  

Fudeko says she was surprised when she found out about her recognition.  

“I still feel it is not me who is receiving this honour,” she says.  

“However, I am really happy, especially as I also received the ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ recognition from the Emperor of Japan in 2013. I feel I have achieved my life’s work.

“I simply did what needed to be done.  I saw an opportunity and worked hard to turn those dreams into reality.  I enjoyed seeing how my work brought joy to the lives of Bathurst community members, and to our ‘sister’ friends in Japan. I feel that it enriched my life, and made the lives of others a little better too.”