January 4th, 2023Civic recognition for Danny’s tireless work

In our February 14, 2022 edition we reported on volunteer extraordinaire
Danny Moynihan and his appointment as Hepburn Shire’s 2022 Citizen of
the Year.

“YOU don’t look for appreciation, but I suppose it’s nice when it comes
your way.”
Those are the humble words of Hepburn Shire’s 2022 Citizen of the Year
Danny Moynihan, who has spent the past 37 years helping improve the lives of others
through countless volunteer roles with more than 24 organisations.
At the January 25 Community Awards and Civic Ceremony, Mayor Tim Drylie
described Danny, as a “quiet achiever”. “Once he makes a commitment to be involved
in a community cause or project he is there for the long haul.”
Danny moved to Daylesford with his wife, the late Roz Moynihan and their two
young children, Justin, then six, and Natalie, then three, in 1984. Born in Ballarat,
he joined the Post Office in 1968 as a postal clerk in training. Danny, pictured with
Natalie’s dog Waru, was sent to Melbourne for what was meant to be a six-month
stint which lasted 16 years.
“I was at Huntingdale and the office was downgraded so I didn’t have an
‘attachment’ to a post office and was transferred to Daylesford. The fellow here, Lloyd
Williams, had died, just in his 40s, so I thought I might as well come up to the bush.
I was also sick of the travelling in Melbourne. We had a house in Mulgrave but I
could be working at Seaford, or Port Melbourne or City Road. It was a long way to
go to all these offices.
“So I moved in December 1984 and Roz and the kids came up in January 1985
so Justin could go to school. We bought a house in Hospital Street, opposite the
hospital, which we eventually sold to the hospital and then moved to Tipperary
Springs in 1987. And we have been here ever since.”
That’s except for a short transfer to Maryborough for Danny just eight months
after he started at Daylesford. Again, it was supposed to be a short stint of just three
months but lasted 18 months. With just one car between them he stayed during the
week and returned on weekends so Roz could have the car to ferry the kids around.
He and Roz eventually bought the post office in 1998 and ran it until 2006.
“When I came up here it was a corporate office owned by Australia Post. The
exchange was there as well, all under the one building. But they subdivided the
building in the 1990s and after 30 years as a postal manager I became a licenced
postal manager. The building was quite dear at the time, well I thought it was because
they were selling other post offices for less, but they said quite rightly it would be
worth a lot more in the future. It’s been good superannuation.”
Danny said Roz was always keen to get involved with the community and causes
and when he arrived back from Maryborough she was already well known. But it
didn’t take him long to make his mark as well, joining many of the same organisations
but also doing his own thing.
Among those he has been with, or the 11 he still is with, are Daylesford Rotary,
Hepburn Regional Community Cheer Committee, ChillOut, Daylesford Good
Grub Club, Hepburn Shire’s White Ribbon, Daylesford Hepburn United Soccer
Club Junior Group, Hepburn Shire Neighbourhood Watch, Daylesford Agricultural
Show, Daylesford Community Op Shop, Daylesford Indoor Recreation Facility
Organising Committee, Community Based Bushfire Mitigation Group, Daylesford
Hospital Redevelopment fundraising committee, Daylesford Hospital Redevelopment
Committee, Daylesford Scouts Management Committee, Daylesford Girl Guides
Management Committee, New Year’s Eve Parade, Daylesford Speedway, Salvation
Army Red Shield Appeal, Daylesford RSL, Very Special Kids Annual Appeal,
Daylesford Probus, Daylesford Gift Run on New Year’s Day to raise funds for Camp
Quality and the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal street collection.
One of his most remarkable, or perhaps different, achievements was being elected
the first, and probably only, male president of the Daylesford Girl Guides.
Danny said hearing his name called as Citizen of the Year was “more pleasing for
the family than the individual.
“Roz was placed on the Hepburn Shire’s (Heather Mutimer) Women’s Honour
Roll in 2019 so I said to Nat now I can put my certificate alongside hers.
Inset: Danny with his family, from left, daughter Natalie Moynihan, grand-
daughter Wynter Grey, Joel Grey and son Justin Moynihan
Words: Donna Kelly | Main image: Kyle Barnes
(Ed’s note: Danny was in the back of our ute for the 2022 ChillOut parade. I said to
Kyle: “Wow, people are really cheering for us this year!” Of course, I finally worked out
it was Danny they were cheering for. And quite rightly.)
News 5www.tlnews.com.au