"I thought they'd made a mistake," the long-time Harkaway resident and Red Cross member said.

"But I was pleased for the sake of the Red Cross, and flattered that someone had put me up."

The 63-year-old was one of two Casey residents recognised in Australia Day honours.

Mrs de Crespigny, who received a Medal of the Order of Australia, was one of the founding members of the Berwick Hills Red Cross unit more than three decades ago and went on to work in the organisation's upper echelons.

In 1976, when she was a young mother to the first of her four children, Mrs de Crespigny started the Berwick Hills unit of the Australian Red Cross.

"A friend of mine in another group wanted me to get another, younger unit started," she said.

She is especially proud of her work with the Australian Red Cross overseas support group, which she founded in 1997.

"We would interest Victorian units in the various international projects to get them fundraising.

"I've admired the Red Cross' international work very much, particularly in safe water and sanitation."

Mrs de Crespigny has held many other head office positions, including deputy emergency operations officer from 2008-2010 and single incident emergency assistance purchasing officer for 10 years.

The Berwick Hills unit disbanded in 2010, but Mrs de Crespigny is still a member of the Red Cross.

Berwick anaesthetist Andrew Bacon received the Ambulance Service Medal for his educational work with paramedic and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance students since the late 1970s.

Dr Bacon, whose career spans more than 30 years, is an expert in issues relating to airway and ventilation equipment procurement.

He has also worked to develop and support the call-taking processes used in ambulance communication centres across Victoria.