When Harold Matthew OAM discovered the news of his recognition, he said he was over the moon.  

“It didn’t sink in until I actually read it twice,” he says.  

“I was totally in shock and over the moon, it was all so unexpected.”

Harold is a member of the Indigenous Marathon Project, co-founder of Thursday Island Running Festival, co-founder of the Thursday Island Deadly Runners, and recipient of the NAIDOC award for community contribution in 2024.  

In June, he was awarded the Medal of the Order for service to the Indigenous community of Thursday Island as part of The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours list.  

There are several factors that push Harold to do what he does, he explains.  

“The desire to make a positive impact, personal growth, and social connections,” he says.  

“I find fulfilment in contributing to my community and building relationships with others, and to be a role model to my people and future generations coming up.”

As well as having to remember to add OAM to his name, Harold says the recognition will have an undeniable effect on his life.  

“It’ll definitely change everything. The recognition motivates … it’s certainly creating a ripple effect of positive engagement and support.”