LOOKING forward is the status quo, but Australia Day honour recipient Roslyn Townsend prefers to look back.

The volunteer archivist is a recipient of an Order of Australia Medal.

But, it’s the invitation into the lives of families that Mrs Townsend considers a true honour.

“You gain from it as much as they do, it increases your knowledge of Armidale,” she said.

“My grandparents in Narrabri were great community people.

“They both worked tirelessly up to their 70’s and 80’s, my volunteering probably comes from there.”

Mrs Townsend first fell in love with history when she was training to become a teacher.

Her assignment was to create a family tree, going back three generations.

She hasn’t stopped since.

Recently, she found her mother’s 21^st birthday party notice in a Narrabri paper.

“It told what she wore, who made the speeches, who the guests were – it was just a wonderful pot of history,” Mrs Townsend said.

“I don’t think we’re doing enough conservation, we’re losing too much of our history.

“It’s either being demolished or it isn’t being recorded, that’s my fear.”

In 2000, Mrs Townsend retired from her work as a librarian at Ben Venue Public School.

While she was there she saw the makings of an archive being thrown away.

So, she took it upon herself to start collecting.

From there, she volunteered at the University of New England Archives and the Family History Group.

“The first thing we would do is ask if you know about your mother and father,” Mrs Townsend said.

“You always work back from yourself.”

Mrs Townsend isn’t sure who nominated her for the award.

But, with the level of historical detail she has her suspicions.

“It was just the greatest shock when I got that nomination letter,” she said.

“I thought of all the people that have been awarded OAM’s and their contribution to Australia.

“It is an honour, it’s a wonderful honour.”