General News
18 June, 2023
Dedication to bowls just champion
A former champion Wimmera bowler has been named in this year's King's Birthday Honours. Longtime Nhill resident Kevin Bye no longer bowls, but he's still at the greens each Saturday of the bowling season to watch the action. Last weekend Mr Bye, 87...
A former champion Wimmera bowler has been named in this year's King's Birthday Honours.
Longtime Nhill resident Kevin Bye no longer bowls, but he's still at the greens each Saturday of the bowling season to watch the action.
Last weekend Mr Bye, 87, a stalwart of the game, received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to bowls and his community.
He was just 33 when named champion of champions at Horsham's Sunnyside Bowling Club to receive the trophy for the best bowler across the Wimmera and Southern Mallee.
Before the end of his bowling days 62 years later, he had clocked up about 30 championships at club, association and regional level.
He recalls his first try at bowls. Because there was a summer break from cricket, his father had encouraged him to try bowls. That was back in early 1961.
"After several trial ends I saw myself getting attached to this game," he said.
"I fitted in easily with the other bowlers because I knew them and they knew me, and with coaching and encouragement I continued to improve.
"And I only put one bowl down on the wrong bias. That was at Dimboola."
He had played cricket for about 10 years but found the move to bowls an easy one. Football and table tennis were also sports he enjoyed.
Mr Bye was Wimmera Bowling Association president for three years, the sole Nhill member to fill that role.
He worked as a volunteer at Nhill's information centre, was a steward at Nhill Methodist then Uniting Church for 35 years, has been in Nhill Masonic Lodge for almost five decades, was Nhill Football Club secretary and also secretary of Nhill Combined Cricket Club.
My Bye was on Nhill High School council for three years, helped with Meals on Wheels, as a West Wimmera Health Service volunteer taxi driver and was on Lowan Sports Centre committee.
His professional life included 30 years at Nhill's Fischer Motors, Andrew Mason's International Harvester and Ford agency, Agmer Drywear manager and as Nhill Hospital storeman until retirement in 2000.
Mr Bye and wife Shirley have sons David, Graeme and Daryl (deceased), and three grandchildren.
Accountant and former Horsham Mayor Michael Ryan also received a King's Birthday Honour. Mr Ryan, who lives in Ballan, with wife Margaret, was a councillor in Horsham Rural City Council from 2005 to 2012. He received an OAM for service to the communities in which he lived.
Great Western harness racing icon Kerryn Manning was the fourth from our region to be recognised in the King's Birthday Honours. Ms Manning was made a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia, AM, for significant service to harness racing and promotion of ovarian cancer awareness.