Australian of the Year

Joan O'Keefe has dedicated more than 50 years to voluntary community service. This includes helping to run the Refugee Mentoring Project begun by her husband, Rock O'Keefe. Joan set up apartments, sourced furniture and offered friendship, help and advice to 42 refugees, predominantly Afghan women and children. 

Joan also supported the founding of Friends with Dignity to support families escaping domestic violence. She sourced donations and helped set up of 1046 homes for women and children escaping violent situations. 

She was the catalyst in the construction of the Ashmore Men's Shed, the Ashmore Rotary Community Centre and the Rotary Storage Shed.  

Joan also contributed to the building of homes for abused girls in Samoa and abused boys in Bhutan, and held leadership roles in Mermaid Beach Country Women's Association. 

Joan was instrumental in helping to establish the Nursing Mothers Association (now Breastfeeding Australia) in a country town.  

Joan's volunteer contributions are remarkable in both scale and impact.