If you were to try and sit down to count how many organisations, community groups, and committees Colleen Fuller has been on over the years, you might just lose track.
Mrs Fuller has been a staunch advocate within the community, with 40 years of volunteering under her belt as well as 27 years of being a member of council. There isn’t much that she wouldn’t put her hand up for.
Her dedication to the Gunnedah Shire community has been recognised in the Australia Day 2026 honours list, with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
In 1999, after a tumultuous time in the Gunnedah community where mines were closed and 1700 jobs were lost, Mrs Fuller decided to take action.
Mrs Fuller set up the Gunnedah Miners Support Group with her friend in hopes to offer support to those who lost their jobs and their families.
“Locally, I became involved when the mining ceased in Gunnedah back in 1996,” Mrs Fuller said.
“There were major issues in the industry and all mining ceased and Gunnedah lost many jobs.
“We lost the abattoirs as well as three mines all within a month and that was a great loss to a community.
“So, my girlfriend and I got together and said, ‘well let’s start off and help’ and that’s when we created the Miner’s Support Group and that actually grew across the state and into Queensland as well,” Mrs Fuller said.
Mrs Fuller is also a member of the Gunnedah branch of the Retired Mineworkers Association as well as a life member of the Association of Mining Related Councils.
The ‘Pink Up Your Town’ fundraiser has been another passion for Mrs Fuller.
The event held once a year, works to raise awareness and support for breast cancer.
Mrs Fuller said that the committee has been successful in raising enough money that they can now support those who have other cancers as well.
The group has also been able to acquire much needed medical equipment for the town, making care more accessible to the community.
“When all the mining started again, we added to our constitution that we would support kids with cancer in Gunnedah,” Mrs Fuller said.
“We were already doing those sorts of things in a little way, but we majorly went out and from there, it’s just grown.
“We started a thing called Pink Up Gunnedah as well and originally, it was cancer, but now between the two organisations, we could cope with major problems of any kind.
“We have also managed to acquire a lymphatic drainage, and that is able to be done in Gunnedah, which is a great save not having to go to Tamworth,” Mrs Fuller said.
But her passion for advocacy didn’t stop there.
In 2004, Mrs Fuller joined the council where she has since gone on to have roles as the deputy mayor from 2009 to 2013 and recently became mayor in 2024.
Through her time at council, Mrs Fuller has been the chair of the Crime Prevention Working Group.
Her experience working with Crime Prevention led her to some of her prouder achievements.
“I’ve been on the Crime Prevention team for 18 years, and back in the days there was a hotel where the behaviour was pretty horrific, they expanded and it was socially bad for the town,” Mrs Fuller said.
“So, we being as we were, decided that we’d take a step further, and we went to government.
“We went to Liquor and Gaming NSW, and we successfully had alcohol reduced to mid-strength after 12 o’clock at night.
“We won a national award with that, and that’s a proud achievement for the community and council,” Mrs Fuller said.
Mrs Fuller is a staunch advocate for domestic violence, and works hard to ensure that people are informed, aware and have access to vital resources.
For more than 20 years, Mrs Fuller has been a part of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association NSW.
There she has held roles as president, executive member, vice president, and is also a life member.
What drives Mrs Fuller isn’t the want for praise or glory.
It is simply because she feels it is part of her job, as a member of the Gunnedah community, to work towards making the town a better place.
“I just think because I’m part of Gunnedah, and my family too, there’s a lot of drive there,” Mrs Fuller said.
“What I’ve probably tried to emphasise with my children is that if you live in a community, be part of it, be a giver to your community.
“I think it makes people stronger if they become involved in their community,” she said.
At first, when Mrs Fuller found out that she had been nominated for the OAM, she didn’t quite believe it.
Mrs Fuller said she is humbled for the recognition but that the credit isn’t all hers.
“It’s never about me, it’s always about a team,” Mrs Fuller said.
“Success doesn’t come from individual attitudes, I always believe that success comes out of teamwork and that’s the way I operate,” she said.
Mrs Fuller will attend Government House later this year to officially receive her medal.
- MOLLY SHANNON
