A Maltese man living in Australia was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen's Birthday honours list for service to the Maltese community of Victoria, Melbourne.

Vincent Calleja, known to friends as Censu, was born in Valletta, and moved to Melbourne in 1955.

Mr Calleja was a founding member of the Newport Maltese Association, of which he has been president since 1994. One of his proudest achievements was helping to raise $300,000 (€173,469) to go towards building the Maltese Community Centre in Parkville, Victoria.

Having worked as a policeman in Malta, Mr Calleja took up a new career as a postman when he moved abroad.

He eventually got the opportunity to put his experience in law enforcement to good use when he was made an investigator with Australia Post.

Mr Calleja also established a Maltese seniors group; he organises walking groups for Maltese people with diabetes, forms part of the Maltese Community Council of Victoria, and helps organise the Maltese cultural festival every year.

The awards ceremony will be held later this year.

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