"Humbled, surprised and honoured" is how Max Batey describes his reaction to receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia.

Better known to many Wangaratta residents as 'Maxwell K', the born-and-bred local was recognised in this year's King's Birthday Honours for his service to swimming as a coach.

While the pool was where his connection began - first as a swimmer, then as a water polo player and a coach of both pursuits - the renowned people-person also used it as a springboard for involvement across the community.

"My parents, Ross and Gladys, gave me everything they could, and I also wanted to give back to the town that gave me everything," Max said.

His immersion in swimming began when Max was very young - firstly for safety reasons, and then simply "because I was good at it".

"When I was five, I got pushed into the Seven Creeks River at Euroa, and my father fished me out; he then enrolled me in swimming lessons with Gerry McKenna," he said.

"I took to it, earned my junior certificate, senior certificate, and my Bronze Medallion.

"I started in the swimming club aged about eight or nine; it was a big club then, and I went up through the age groups and started winning at club level, under the coaching of Bruce Revell.

"Then I was winning medals at Ovens and Murray level, and I progressed through; because I had some talent, I was coached by Dawn Fraser's coach, Harry Gallagher, in Melbourne."

Max's training regime in those days involved early morning, lunchtime and evening training sessions, and he won state titles in his specialist events, medley and butterfly.

However, a bout of hepatitis at 14 cut short his swimming career.

"When you start to see people swimming past you, you realise you've lost a bit of pace," he said.

Never one to retreat easily, Max turned his attention to coaching, undertaking a traineeship with Harold Watson in Melbourne and at 17 becoming the youngest qualified swim coach in Victoria.

"With that, I took on the job of coaching the Wangaratta Swimming Club, and coached there from when I was about 18 to 22," he said.

This extended to his role as co-establisher of the Wangaratta Water Polo Club, which he served as president, senior coach and player; the sport became his next passion.

"I had never seen a game of water polo, but it was a way to keep that team feeling and stay involved," he said.

It was an era when Wangaratta had no heated pools - facilities Max had experienced during his time in Melbourne - so, aged in his early 20s, Max built an indoor heated pool with the support of his parents at their Kanana Crescent home in 1974, establishing Prestige Swim School which he ran for more than 30 years.

"We ran the pool on bottled gas, and went through six bottles of gas a week," he said.

Working in insurance by day, he led swimming lessons in the pool after work on weekdays, then all day on Saturdays, and played water polo on Sundays, rising to representative level with Victoria and NSW.

"I put three generations through swimming lessons either in that pool or in the Chisholm Street pool (formerly located next to Wangaratta Primary School)," he said.

"I'm very grateful to have had the chance to do that, and to see local swimmers give their best, including people like (Olympian) Belinda Hocking."

Max continues to encourage locals with an interest in swimming to tap into the world he has loved for most of his life.

"There are two swim clubs in Wangaratta, so there are plenty of opportunities, and you will meet some great people," he said.

He said he would also love to see a resurgence in water polo in the rural city, perhaps beginning with the introduction of an Auskick-style program called Flippa Ball.

"Kids could start that after they've been through the swim school, to keep them involved - and away from screens," he said.

In addition to Max's swimming involvement, he has been a vice-chair and board member of YMCA Wangaratta; a member and supporter of the Wangaratta Rovers Football Netball Club since the 1990s, also holding roles including vice-president, senior team manager and player welfare officer; supporter and former president of Moyhu Football Club; president of Glenrowan Football Club; and an administrator of the Ovens and King Football League.

He has also been a volunteer with the L2P program since 2022; was an inaugural member of the Wangaratta Beer and Beef Club; vice-president of the Wangaratta Regional Development Corporation; senior vice-president of the Wangaratta Chamber of Commerce; community development officer with Merriwa Industries Foundation; board member of the Wangaratta District Base Hospital (now Northeast Health Wangaratta); board member of the Wangaratta Housing Society; a mentor, sponsor and event organiser for local Miss Australia Quest entrant Mary Vescio; and co-establisher and vice-chair of the Wangaratta Big Brothers Big Sisters Program.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed it all," he said.