Rarely do citizens ask for recognition for a lifetime of hard work serving their community and Max Connor was no different.

On Australia Day the Manjimup Shire Council presented Mr Connor with the over 25s Premiers Australia Day Active Citizenship Award for his 40 years of service to the volunteer bushfire brigade.

Mr Connor joined the volunteer bushfire brigade in 1969 at 22 years of age and remained with the service for 42 years.

He said receiving the award was unexpected and not something he would take for granted.

‘‘But it is nice that someone is judging these things,’’ Mr Connor said.

He said being a volunteer firefighter was something you did out of necessity to protect your own life and livelihood as well as those of your neighbours.

‘‘It was just one of those things. We knew how to deal with and control fires from experience clearing land for grazing and farming, so we just took that knowledge in to dealing with bushfires.’’

Mr Connor was selected as this year’s recipient of the award ahead of 12 other nominees.

Mr Connor volunteered with the volunteer bushfire brigade until early 2011 when he began working for a mining company in the Pilbara.