Mrs. Petronella Wensing of Braddon, Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)  received the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday List of 2013. She was cited for service to the creative arts, and to the community of Canberra.

60 years ago she and her family came to Australia from Holland. She is a former president of the Canberra Lace Makers Association, and the Australian Embroiders Guild. She has worked with the Canberra Museum and Gallery where a collection of clothing and textiles is named for her. She has contributed her own lacework to the the National Museum of Australia and to the collections of Parliament House and the ACT Legislative Assembly. She was also a textiles teacher at St Clare’s College from 1970 to 1986.

There is a wonderful interview with her at http://tinyurl.com/kb6rmxa.

The lists were released on Monday, June 10th. The Medal of the Order of Australia was established by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, for service worthy of particular recognition.