Former local teacher Maxwell Molloy has been posthumously awarded an OAM in the King's Birthday Honours 2025.
Mr Molloy received the honour for his service to the community of Murrabit and district.
One of four children, Molloy grew up on a wheat and sheep farm during the depression. Leaving school with no real direction Molloy preferred to “go through life aimlessly,” as he put it in a ‘Chat With’ Ali Bohn back in 2018. Harvesting in Wycheproof, and also grape picking at Nyah West, Molloy saved enough money to buy a motorbike and travelled 3,000 miles to visit his sister in Perth.
On his return to Victoria, Molloy worked at a bakery in Bendigo until it took a backseat to his passion of football. After taking a job at the Dunlop Rubber Company, Molloy was called up for National Service, making “terrific” lifelong friends from his time at Puckapunyal.
Returning to Dunlop Rubber Company briefly after his service, Molloy left the rubber industry to attend Teachers College.
“Yes, I went back there (Dunlop Rubber Company) and I probably wasn’t enjoying it as much anymore. So that’s when I decided to apply for Teachers College. I did the course over 1 year due to my being over 21 and also because I had done army service.” Molloy said in 2018.
Molloy then began educational work in the prison system. French Island, McLeod Prison Farm, Pentridge and Langi Kal Kal.
“I also took on a role working and living at the McLeod Prison Farm which was interesting. I was really being tested to see how I could handle it after 3 years. Then I went on to Bendigo Training Prison where I was again education officer. They were good blokes and they came to my classes because they wanted to learn. It was certainly a wild place in those days but everyone got along as I did with them. Actually the prisoners finished up burning down my classroom and I had to teach them from a double cell that was my classroom! All up I was there for about 6 years I think.” Molloy said in 2018.
Molloy’s first teaching job with children was at the Warparilla West Rural School.
“I was told that if I managed to stick it out working at the prisons then there would be a job for me at an actual school so that’s how I got on to Warparilla West. The entire school was made up of just 30 students and I was there for a year.”
Molloy’s teaching career saw him at Agnes Rural School in Gippsland, Glen Devan Primary School in Werribee, Laverton North Primary School, Iramaroo Primary School in Werribee, back to Glen Devon Primary School and then Boort Primary School before retiring in 1990 at just 55 years old.
After spending a lot of holidays in Koondrook over the years, Molloy built a home in Koondrook in 1980 that he would use as a holiday home, only to use it as his permanent home following his retirement from teaching in 1990.
Despite intentions of “continuing with aimlessly wandering, occasionally fishing and shooting” Molloy ended up teaching again. Working between Barham Primary, St Joseph’s Barham, and Barham High School.
Molloy’s local community service extended to being former treasurer of Legacy for 25 years, former treasurer of Benjeroop Public Hall, and a former member of two singing groups and a banjo group, former member of the Koondrook Sub-Branch of Returned and Services League of Australia, and former Member Lions Club of Murrabit and District.
