Susanna Freymark
At 10pm last night, before the sun rose on a hot Australia Day, Danielle Mulholland was searching the Honours List to see if anyone in Kyogle LGA was named on it.
To her surprise, there was her name under the awards for a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division.
Three years ago, she was asked about her contributions, but she never heard anything after that until now.
The OAM is for her service to local government, and to the community of Kyogle.
“I am deeply honoured and truly humbled to receive this award – though if I am being honest, ‘shocked silly’ might be the more accurate description,” Ms Mulholland said.
“To receive this honour on the 50th anniversary of the awards is very special and I thank all of those who have lifted me up during my journey in service to Kyogle and the villages.”
Ms Mulholland was at the Kyogle and then Bonalbo Australia Day ceremonies.
“Any contribution I have made has always been part of a shared effort,” she said.
“I have had the privilege of working alongside extraordinary volunteers, community leaders, and organisations who give their time, skills, and compassion to support those in need. Their dedication continues to inspire me, and this honour belongs just as much to them.
Ms Mulholland has been mayor of Kyogle for many years – in 2013–2021 and was elected again in 2024.
“It has been a privilege to serve the people who live in the Kyogle Council area,” she said.
“We have a very diverse demographic, so that can be a bit tricky to manage when there are contentious issues arising but at the end of the day, we all work towards bettering our communities.” 
On the Governor-General’s website, Ms Mulholland’s achievements were listed:
Kyogle Council
• Mayor, 2013-2021, since 2024.
• Councillor, since 2012.
• Council Delegate, various local community organisations, charities, and events, current.
• Council Delegate, various internal committees and regional committees, current.
• Delegate, Joint Regional Planning Panel, 2013-2021.
• Former Delegate, Kyogle Chamber of Commerce.
• Chair, General Manager’s Performance Review Committee, 2013-2021, since 2024.
• Chair, General Manager’s Recruitment Committee, 2013-2021, since 2024.
• Former Delegate, Far North Coast Weeds, 2014-2015.
Community
• Patron, Woodenbong Show Society, current.
• Patron, Border Ranges Riding Club, current.
• Committee Member, Woodenbong Australian Day Committee, since 2022.
• Patron, Kyogle and District Domestic Violence, Kyogle Family Support Services, 2013-2025.
• Patron and Member, Bonalbo Sub-Branch, Country Women’s Association of New South Wales,
current.
• Special Event Coordinator, Domestic Violence Education and Survivor Support.
• Patron, Kyogle Sub-Branch, Returned and Services League of Australia, 2013-2016.
• Judge, Kyogle Lions Club Public Speaking Competition, 2014.
• Delegate, Corporate and Community Services Committee, 2012.
• LGA Cultural Committee, 2012.
• Alternate Delegate, Summerland Way Promotional Committee, 2012.
• Delegate, Area Health Board Community Engagement, 2013-2015.
• Alternate Delegate, Area Health Board Community Engagement, 2012.
• Committee Member, Local Emergency Management, 2013.
• NSW Rural Fire Service, since 2013.
• Delegate, Down to Rivers Action Committee, 2013.
• Police Accountability Community, since 2013.
• Internal Audit Committee, 2014.
• Woodenbong to Legume Road Alliance, 2014.
• Shires Association of NSW “A Division”, 2014- 2017.
• Committee Member, Community Funding Support, 2015.
• Panelist, Joint Regional Planning Panel, since 2013.
• Kyogle and District Chamber of Commerce, 2016-2017.
• Northern Rivers Organisation of Councils, 2013-2016, 2024.
• Country Mayors Association, New South Wales, since 2018.
• Northern Rivers Joint Organisation, since 2018.
• National Timber Council Association, since 2024.
• Northern Rivers Joint Operations Audit and Risk Committee, 2024.
Local Government NSW
• Director, Regional/Rural, 2021-2023, since 2024.
• Chair, Policy Review Committee, 2021-2023.
• Alternate Delegate, Australian Local Government Association, 2021-2023.
• Member, Member Value Committee, since 2024.
• Delegate, Country Mayors Association, 2013-2021, since 2024.
• Judge, R.H Doherty Awards, since 2023.
• Judge, Lifetime Achievement Awards, 2023.
Northern Rivers Joint Organisation
• Chair, 2018-2022.
• Delegate, Joint Organisations Statewide Chairs, 2018-2022.
• Former member, Local Government Ministerial Advisory Committee.
• Member, since 2024.
• NRJO Audit and Risk Committee, since 2024.
Northern Rivers Organisation of Councils
• President, 2016-2018.
• Deputy President, 2013-2016.
Other
• Board Member, NSW Local Land Services Board, North Coast, since 2024.
• Board Director, Strategy and Ops Consultancy, New York, 2023-2025.
• Junior Lawyer, Shore Lawyers, since 2024.
• Delegate, Joint Regional Planning Panel, 2013-2021.
• Book Reviewer/Editor, M/C Reviews: Culture and the Media, 2009-2012.
• Event Coordinator, Brisbane Jazz Festival, 2000-2001.
• Speaker, Commonwealth Senate Enquiry into Decentralisation, 2017.
• Speaker, Sustaining the Regions Working Group, 2019.
Queensland Government
• Principal Policy Officer, 2001-2007.
• Divisional Manager, 1999-2002.
• Government Liaison, AgForce Queensland, 2000-2004.
• Project Officer, Queensland Department of Local Government, 1998-1999.
• Data Entry Specialist, Queensland Police Service, 1995-1998.
• Former Coordinator, Queensland Rural Ministerial Advisory Council.
• Former Coordinator, Positive Rural Futures Conference, Queensland.
• Former Manager, Rural Lifestyles Queensland.