He has received and OAM in this year's Queen's Birthday honours for service to the Warrnambool community.

Mr McMillan said that what made the moment even more special was that his brother, Robert 'Bob' McMillan, was also receiving an OAM in the same category.

Neither brother knew the other was nominated.

"I'm absolutely over the moon to receive the award, but there's so many people in the community, like my brother, who have been part of every cause - he's been doing it for years," Peter said.

"I'm just as excited for Bob as I am for myself because I've always been in awe of what he does."

At 17, Peter joined Sinclair Wilson - where he was an employee for 49-and-a-half years until retirement 10 years ago.

Peter cited three highlights in his volunteer community work: Western Regional Drug & Alcohol Centre (WRAD), Lyndoch Aged Care (now Lyndoch Living) and the Vedmore Foundation.

He was the inaugural treasurer for WRAD from 1983-2005 and life member since 2012, was a founder director of Vedmore Foundation since 2010 and a board member of Lyndoch from 1975-1990.

"WRAD has grown exponentially, which is wonderful for the city," he said.

"Back then Lyndoch, like WRAD, was a much smaller organisation, with Lyndoch you wouldn't recognise it - we used to spend every second Friday night at Temperance Hall organising bingo which was quite a significant fund-raiser for Lyndoch at the time.

"Vedmore Foundation was created by a client of mine at Sinclair Wilson, the late Sue Henry OAM - I'm excited to be a trustee for the rest of my life."

He said hundreds of thousands of dollars was donated through the charity.

Peter held several positions at Sinclair Wilson, was secretary of Framlingham Aboriginal Trust, committee member of the WUNTA Festival, on the Coast and Rivers Advisory Committee, Warrnambool Legacy legatee and Brauer College's scholarships and awards program donor.

He was also associated with Warrnambool Golf Club, Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club's Nippers program, Dennington Cricket Club and in his retirement volunteers with Warrnambool City Council's Meals on Wheels.

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