Congratulations to Dr John Gault OAM (1951)for receiving the Order of Australia medal in the King’s Birthday Honours for service to the community of Bendigo. 

John has been a Cardiac Physician for more than 50 years with Bendigo Health, and Chair of the Hospital Medical Advisory Committee at St John of God Hospital, Bendigo. He retired at 80, having enjoyed being in the medical profession for most of his life.

His community involvement has been largely with music as the violist in a string quartet, the Bendigo Concert Orchestra, Bendigo String Orchestra, and with the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra as a performer, founding and life member and generous benefactor.

Further involvement has been through a number of Medical Committees, as a Life Member of, and donor to the Bendigo Art Gallery as well as a Founding 50 benefactor to the Ulumbarra (theatre) Foundation, Bendigo.

John found the award was quite unexpected but is pleased it means that, particularly in medicine and music, people are grateful for his ability to help in the appropriate direction.

He considers the summation, “My life hath been a physician (soldier), and mine idleness addicted to musique,” suits him nicely.