Chris Gavenlock honoured as Lake Macquarie’s 2026 NSW Local Woman of the Year

newy.com.au – Chris Gavenlock has been named Lake Macquarie’s 2026 NSW Local Woman of the Year. She was recognised at the NSW Women of the Year awards ceremony on Thursday, March 5, for nearly 30 years of work preserving the history of Morisset Hospital and for advocacy following her own diagnosis of dystonia.

Gavenlock formed the Morisset Hospital Historical Society, interviewed people connected to the site and hunted down material for A Private World on a Nameless Bay (a history on Morisset), and is also credited with running a small museum.

National Library catalogue records show A Private World on a Nameless Bay was published in 2000 by the Morisset Hospital Historical Society Book Committee, and the University of Newcastle’s Hunter Living Histories site records that a second edition was launched in 2021.

The society was established in 1997 and collects objects and archival material, displaying photographs, documents and hospital memorabilia at the Morisset Multipurpose Centre.

The Dystonia Network of Australia says Gavenlock trained as a nurse, has been a member and supporter of the organisation since its inception and retired from nursing in 1997 because of dystonia.

Piper, the independent Member for Lake Macquarie and Speaker of the NSW Legislative Assembly, said Gavenlock’s “dedication to our community is truly inspiring”. The Local Women of the Year program runs alongside the NSW Women of the Year Awards and allows MPs to recognise and celebrate a local woman in their electorate.