Bruce Campbell MBE
2003 Award

Bruce Campbell has spent his lifetime dedicated to his community and as an advocate for the protection and promotion of rural Australia. While his earlier years saw him recognised for his involvement in community causes such as lifesaving, it is the work he has done later in his life that has seen him impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians.

Bruce believes that people will respond to ideas that strike a chord in their hearts. It was this philosophy that led him to found and chair 2002 Australia's Year of the Outback. The initiative, which received a ground swell of support from the public, government and business, raised awareness of the outback and celebrated the community spirit of country Australians.

Bruce Campbell was born on the 4th of September, 1931 in Longreach, Queensland. At 17, he became involved in lifesaving and rural industry - two areas that would become very important to him and shape the direction of his life.

From beginnings in rural industry with the Pastoral House Primaries, he rose to General Manager of Primaries in 1974. Primaries was amalgamated with Mactaggarts Primary Producers Association forming Primac Holdings with Bruce occupying the positions of General Manager and Director from 1975 until his retirement in 1983.

After retirement, Bruce continued to have an interest in rural industry. He served as Chairman of the Livestock and Meat Authority of Queensland from 1986 to 1992 and was President of the Droughtmaster Cattle Breeders Society from 1993 to 1998. During his time at Livestock and Meat Authority, Bruce had key involvement promoting Australia's primary industries at World Expo '88 - 'Silo in the City'. This was the first time an industry sector had been presented in its own pavilion at a World Expo.

While working passionately for rural industry, Bruce was also heavily involved in his community.

Bruce became involved with the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia and the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia (RLSSA) in 1948. In the early 1960s, Bruce played a key role in introducing Expired Air Resuscitation (mouth-to-mouth) for life savers. From 1971-1986 Bruce was Queensland President of the RLSSA and served as National Deputy President from 1982 to 1987.

Bruce also devoted his time to other community groups, serving as a committee member of the Queensland Duke of Edinburgh Award Committee in 1980 to 1990 and as a member on the Queensland Council of the St. John Ambulance Association from 1965 to 1980. In 1986, Bruce was recognised for his involvement in voluntary organisations, in particular with surf lifesaving, by being awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

In 1998, at the age of 67, Bruce began to focus his attention on rural Australia. Concerned over the growing divide between urban and rural communities, the untapped potential of Australia's outback and due to his love of rural Australia and his involvement with community, he devised the concept of 2002 Australia's Year of the Outback.

The concept was endorsed by the Federal Government, states and territories and was officially launched in 1999. From conception, widespread discussion and finally delivery in 2002, Bruce has immersed himself in the Year of the Outback, with no plans to slow down since year's end. In fact, he plans to extend the idea to future years by focusing on different areas, strengths and considerations of outback life.

As a senior Australian, Bruce demonstrates that age is no barrier to affecting widespread change and raising the awareness of a nation. His vision, born from a respect and love for country people and a belief that our heartland is critical to our future, grew to inspire the nation and brought attention to the role of the outback and what it means for Australia's future.