Jamie Durie may be a household name because of his television appearances but it is his environmental, charitable and design work that has earned him a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Mr Durie, who splits his time between the United States and Australia, says he was surprised to learn of the award.
“I'm absolutely pinching myself,” he said.
“It was a big, big shock.”
The qualified horticulturist and landscape gardener has done work for environmental and conservation organisations for the past 15 years.
He said that, although environmental issues have become fashionable, more needs to be done to protect the planet.
“I think we all bury our heads in the sand a bit,” he said.
“At some point we've really got to focus on saving the planet.”
Although he says Australia is moving in the right direction environmentally, Mr Durie would like it to invest more in renewable energy and reduce its carbon footprint.
“In terms of carbon emissions I think Australia needs to do more,” he said.
“Per capita we're still one of the highest in terms of carbon emissions.”
Mr Durie is pleased the award also recognises his design work, which has included a gold medal at Britain's prestigious Chelsea Flower show.
“I was over the moon to have that included because it's something I've put a lot of energy into,” he said.
“It's very hard to get integrity in the design industry and my television work tends to overshadow it.
“It means a lot to me that I'm more than just a face on television.”
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