Susan Love's strong sense of social justice has been directly inherited from her mother, Nancy Howard.
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"She was a nurse who would go around Bendigo feeding people soup," Ms Love said.
"She was on the committee at the Mirridong Home for the Blind. She was my inspiration."
Ms Love continues her mother's legacy in Malmsbury today, where three times a week she picks up the leftovers from a bakery and delivers them to 10 families in the area in need of support.
It is just one of the reasons Ms Love has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal in the 2024 King's Birthday honours for her services to the tiny town 60km south of Bendigo.
"It's a bit surreal," Ms Love said of the honour.
"I didn't know of it. I never sought anything like this so it's a bit of a surprise."
Doing her bit - and a bit extra - for Malmsbury
Ms Love is also heavily involved in the Malmsbury Events Association, the Malmsbury Mail newsletter, the Town Hall management committee where she takes bookings for everything from family reunions and weddings to wakes.
She also started the monthly markets in Malmsbury and runs five flea markets in the town.
All at the age of 77.
A life before and after teaching
Born and raised in Bendigo where she attended teacher's college, Ms Love relocated to Melbourne where she was a volunteer at the Collingwood Children's Farm and helped set up a farmers market.
She was also instrumental in the long-running picket which helped save the Gentle Bunyip community house in Clifton Hill from demolition.
"It was built in the 1860s and was going to be replaced with townhouses until the government stepped in and turned it into affordable housing which was a great result," Ms Love said.
She moved to Malmsbury in 2003.
"I bought land, built a house and established an orchard which is something I had always desired after 31 years of teaching," she said.
Ms Love said she likes to think of her life as being before and after teaching.
"I had been teaching in a rural school at Whittlesea which was an absolute joy," she said.
'A pretty little spot'
"I was very familiar with Malmsbury having grown up in Bendigo and travelling up to see my parents."
Ms Love said Malmsbury was a "pretty little spot".
"It has endearing features and it's a good place to garden," she said.
"I've got the orchard and the trees are established which provides me with fruit like apples, plums, peaches, pomegranates.
"I'm busy and I love it."
