The then 32-year-old and his wife, Anne, who were living in Sydney at the time, spent the following weekend with Dr Romney Newman and Dr Louise Berghouse (both now retired) in Taree, and instantly fell in-love with the area.

From that day Dr Braude's service to medicine as a Respiratory and General Physician, particularly in the Manning Great-Lakes area, has been notable.

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So much as so, that 35 years after moving to the Manning, Dr Braude has been acknowledged with an Order of Australian Medal (OAM), as part of the Australia Day Honours List.

Dr Braude is a physician at Manning Base Hospital, Taree Mayo Private, Forster Private Hospital, and privately, a member of the Medical Advisory Committee at the Mayo Private Hospital, and co-director of the General Medicine Department of Manning Base Hospital.

He is currently a conjoint lecturer at the University of Newcastle and a sponsor of the bi-annual Manning Art Prize since 1990.

The 67-year-old mainly works from his practice on Commerce Street in Taree, and spends his weekends in Sydney (when he isn't on-call) visiting Anne, and their four children; James, Caitlin, Rachel, and Georgia. Anne moved to Sydney from Tinonee with the children after they all finished school to pursue tertiary education.

Dr Braude said he couldn't imagine spending his life any other way. He loves his job and the Manning community, and has no foreseeable plans to retire.

"I still wake up everyday and look forward to going to work,'' he said.

"When I wake up in the morning and I am not looking forward to work, that is when I am going to make the decision to retire."

Like a lot of medical practitioners and physicians in the Manning-Great Lakes, Dr Braude moved to the area from Sydney after his 14 years of medical training.

The extensive study needed in a city is why Dr Braude thinks the area struggles to attract doctors.

"By the time you get to your early 30s and you are finished your study, you find yourself with a lot of roots in Sydney or another city, maybe with a spouse, kids, and a house."

But for Dr Braude, he has had more satisfaction working in the country compared to the city.

"There is so much diversity and variety with patients in rural areas. Physicians in the city tend to super-specialise, whereas I have had to broaden my work load and become general.

"But that is what I love about this area.

"Between the ocean and the country, and the Manning River, I don't understand why we can't attract doctors, especially physicians, to work here."

And so, for the humble Dr Braude, this award is not as much an award for himself personally, but an award to recognise rural medical practitioners in general.

"This award is for the medical and paramedical staff that serve the Taree hospitals because they often don't get recognised.

"I am just a small part of what goes on, and I am probably just recognised because of my duration of working in the area, otherwise they are as good as me, and are making the same contributions I am to this area."

Dr Braude noted his many mentors over the years, including Dr Newman.

Receiving an OAM award in 2014, Dr Newman also spent his professional life in Taree after studying in Sydney.

"I looked up to Romney and admired him so much as a person and as a doctor. So it is very humbling to receive the award eight years later."

Dr Braude has also been involved in many sporting groups in the Manning.

He played for Tinonee Soccer Club for 15 years before coaching his son's team, he was a member of Taree Squash Club, a member of Taree Golf Club, and loves twilight cricket. Dr Braude also plays tennis every week in Taree.

But that is not all, Dr Braude has been a member of the Manning Valley Race Club for around 35 years, breeding race horses trained in Taree by Glen Milligan.

"I think it is important to be involved in other things outside of work. It is what keeps me going."