Helen L'Huillier receives OAM

Article by Alex Craig originally published in the Alpine Observer on June 14, 2018

Helen L’Huillier of Mt Beauty has been awarded an OAM – a Medal of the Order of Australia – for her services to cross-country skiing and to the community.

HELEN L’Huillier has been working to develop the wellbeing of the Upper Kiewa Valley community since she and her husband Paul arrived here as teachers at what was then called the Bogong School Camp in 1973. Now called the Outdoor School – Bogong.

She had been involved in athletics since her late teens, and on marrying and qualifying as an Physical Education and Mathematics teacher she moved to Bogong Village and was introduced to the pleasures of cross-country skiing.

In 1977 she became a founding member of the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club in Mount Beauty, becoming over time secretary, president, junior squad coach, founder of the Ski de Femme event and race secretary for the Kangaroo Hoppet International Cross-country Ski Marathon, a position she has held for the past 27 years.

She continues to enjoy cross-country skiing and tries to compete in one of the distances of the Hoppet every year.

For 20 years she was involved in the Mt Beauty Swim Club as coach and co-ordinator, and for nine years ran a girls’ gym club to cater for young women of the district who could not join the existing boys’ club.

Mrs L’Huillier said that along with her love of sport she found she had a talent for and an enjoyment of administration.

“I’ve always led an active, healthy lifestyle, and tried to instil these values in my children and in the students I have taught,” she said.