Highest honour for Evonne

In her tennis career Noosa Heads resident Evonne Goolagong-Cawley was twice ranked the number one player in the world, won 92 pro tournaments, was a finalist in 18 Grand Slam events winning Wimbledon twice, the Australian Open 4 times, the French Open once and was runner up 4 years in succession at the US Open. She represented Australia seven times in the Fed Cup winning in 1971, 73 and 74 and was Australia’s Fed Cup Captain from 2002-04.
On Friday she added a companion of the Order of Australia, the nation’s highest honour, to her long list of credits which include an MBE, AO, Australian of the Year and Australian Sportsman of the Year and the IOC Women and Sport Trophy for her services in those fields.
She was recognised for her AC for her services to the game as a player and ambassador, and her work as a role model and advocate for young Indigenous Australians.
Since 2005, Evonne has run the Goolagong National Development Camp for Indigenous girls and boys. Using tennis as a vehicle to promote better health, education and employment, the program has awarded school scholarships, produced university scholars, tennis players, coaches, and sports administrators and has helped with employment placement. Since 2012, under the auspices of the Evonne Goolagong Foundation and in conjunction with the Australian Government, the Dream, Believe, Learn, Achieve programme has conducted Tennis Come and Try Days nationwide giving access to Goolagong State Development Camps which in turn feed into the GNDC.