As his contribution to local nursing is recognised today through inclusion in the Australia Day Honours List, Ferruccio Tonini will be on duty at Northeast Health Wangaratta.

It's a fitting way to mark the achievement of receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia, for a man who, it's often said, knows the Green Street hospital better than most.

The 71-year-old father of six, who said the Honours List nomination came as a shock to him, has worked at the Wangaratta hospital for more than 50 years, and is currently the associate director of nursing and after-hours nursing supervisor.

He still loves nursing as much as ever, and balances the role with his "sideline" as a poll hereford breeder based at Glenrowan; he is co-principal/owner of Glenpoll Poll Hereford Stud, and secretary of the North East Victorian Herefords Group.

"I often say I don't think I could have done either on their own, but they're a great combination," he said.

Ferruccio's family moved to Australia from Italy in 1962, when he was just six years old; after revisiting their homeland for six months, the family returned to settle in Bright, and the five Tonini children enjoyed their childhoods in the North East.

The possibility of nursing as a career first presented itself to Ferruccio through his friend, the late Ray Peruzzo, who told him it was the vocation he planned to follow after school.

However, Ferruccio said he didn't seriously consider the option himself until the day he broke his collarbone during a school footy match while representing Wangaratta's Champagnat College, where he was a boarding student.

"It happened in the last minute of the last game of NEDSSSA football, and I went to hospital," he recalled.

"There had been a big accident locally, with one killed, and another person had severe cerebral damage and was screaming from the pain.

"The mother of one of my friends was a nurse, and she walked into the room where that person was, and was so calm and quiet and settled everything down, and that made me think, 'Maybe I could do this', and be able to help people."

That day set in motion a chain of events that would see Ferruccio complete his training at the Wangaratta hospital, and meet his future wife, Chris - also a nurse.

While there were doubts for Ferruccio in the early days about whether he would stick with nursing, and he heard years later from his principal educator that he hadn't believed he would stay, he said he was buoyed by a fellow nursing student saying, 'If it wasn't for you, I would have left'.

"As it turned out, I stayed the longest of all of our group," he said.

With very few men training as nurses, Ray and Ferruccio stood out - even more so because for the first six months, their uniform comprised white overalls.

"The patients would laugh, and it sort of felt like a joke," he said.

Ferruccio also remembers the day he was introduced to patients in the women's ward, who were told he would be the first male to treat female patients.

"They slowly drew the sheet right up to their chins - I don't know why it was a good idea to tell them I was the first!" he said.

From those early days, the number of male nurses gradually increased, and from close quarters, Ferruccio watched the evolution of health care.

He spent time in charge of intensive care at the hospital, and recalls tragic moments like the 1993 bus crash at North Wangaratta, in which 10 people were killed and many others injured.

"The outstanding thing about that day was that people came from everywhere to help; there are lots of moments like that you remember as you think back," he said.

Ferruccio, who also spent 12 months as acting director of nursing, received the WB Richardson Nursing Excellence Award from Northeast Health Wangaratta in 1995, and in 2023 was recognised for his 50 years of service to the hospital.

Chris said her husband was well-regarded at Northeast Health Wangaratta for his ability to keep things moving, and indeed tributes to Ferruccio on his 50-year milestone mentioned his role as 'problem-solver'.

Ferruccio said his approach was grounded in respect - a value taught by his parents, at school, and which he aimed to carry through his life.

"You've also got to believe in what you're doing, and when you do, people know that and trust you," he said.

Having seen many changes in health care, including length of stay being reduced by developing technology and knowledge, and an increasing number of overseas nurses in the last 10 years, Ferruccio said there was no time for rose-coloured glasses about 'the old days'.

"I wouldn't go back, because you often only remember the good things about the past. It's much better now," he said.

After more than 50 years in the game, and despite those tough days nursing can occasionally bring, Ferruccio has no plans for retirement.

"The fact I'm still in it probably means I chose well," he said.

"Every day's a different day. I've been in administration since 1988, but there are still things I see that I've never seen before.

"You've just got to love people, and be able to give them hope."