74-year-old Con Pavlou remembers leaving Cyprus in 1956 when he was just 9 years old, on a journey to be reunited with his father in Sydney.
"I do actually yes, it was the first time I went on a big boat, when I first left Limassol in Cyprus I thought I was still in the city. In those years it used to take us something like 35-40 days to get to Australia. Our first port of call was Fremantle where we stayed for a couple days, then to Melbourne and they brought us to Sydney by train."
Also on the honours list is Yvonne Weldon, recognised for her service to the Indigenous community.
The Sydney councillor has strong ties to Wiradjuri Country in Cowra, west of Sydney, but grew up in Sydney.
She says it’s special to be made a Member of the Order of Australia.
I'm so humbled by being recognised for what I have done my entire life, like so many of my elders have done and what they have done in their lives has been for me and so many others, it's such an honour to be recognised but also to be able to give back."
