FORMER Ski Club Victoria (SCV) general manager and Jamieson local Andrew Dwyer was honoured over the King’s Birthday weekend with an Order of Australia (AM) award.
Residing in Jamieson, Andrew was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to Victoria’s tourism industry and community.
In 2014 Andrew took on the role of general manager at the Ski Club of Victoria (SCV).
Multi-talented, Andrew’s love of adventure has taken him from national and international snowfields to outback Australia working as a chef, tour guide, entertainer and raconteur.
He has previously won numerous tourism awards and sits on the board of Tourism Victoria, so his practical and theoretical tourism knowledge has ben invaluable.
But this latest, and highest award sees him humbled but feeling very proud to have received this high distinction for his career and contributions to tourism and his local community.
“It was a real shock, and I have no idea who nominated me,” said Andrew following the announcement.
His childhood at Mt Buffalo with his godfather sparked a lifelong passion for European cookery, bushwalking and wild places including he snow fields.
A move to Jamieson with wife Jane and their family led to the launch of the Diamantina Touring Company in 1987.
Andrew became the inaugural chair of the Victorian Tourism Operators Association in 1989, a role he held until 1992.
“It involved years of going down to Melbourne,” he said.
“I wrote the first tourism accreditation for adventure tourism.
"I’m proud of the success of small tour operators in Victoria now being recognised; it is a much better place,” he said.
Other roles included Chair of Tourism Victoria (2014–2019), board member (2013–2019), Commissioner with the Victorian Tourism Commission (1992), and Qantas Ambassador (1989–2001).
“There has been a huge change in attitudes; it doesn’t matter about the size of your business, it is about professionalism now being recognised.”
On Mt Buller, Andrew saw him drawing upon all these past skills, managing an iconic establishment such as the Ski Club of Victoria - he said at the time of taking on SCV role it would certainly be a daunting task but one he took in his stride.
At that time Andrew’s brief included overseeing two accommodation venues - The Whitt and Kandahar; a 100-seat restaurant (three meals a day); the Dump Inn and Ike’s bars as well as programming entertainment.
Andrew also worked closely with the board of the SCV to maintain and build club membership.
“The Ski Club of Victoria was created by zealous snow sport enthusiasts who built a hut, walked for hours to ski, organized races and generally put Mt Buller on the map," Andrew said during his time at SCV.
Also at his time with SCV Andrew was very keen in encouraging more families to join the club and for kids to participate more in racing.
A long-time board member of The Howitt Society, Andrew has also promoted responsible wilderness access and published two cookbooks, combining his bush skills and culinary passion.
Although now retired and having wound up Diamantina Touring, he continues to cherish the Jamieson community and the surrounding high country.
