A member of the society for 25 years and writer of its regular newsletter for 22 years, Mrs Morris was shocked and honoured when presented with the award on Wednesday night.

“They kept it a secret, everybody knew but me,” Mrs Morris said.

Mrs Morris has written 30 books since 1980, many of them about important institutions, places, events and past-times that have defined and formed Wagga over more than 150 years, including Wagga Base Hospital, the RSL Club, soccer, the Kapooka training tragedy, Kurrajong Waratah, the Hampden Bridge and the 1915 Kangaroo March.

In the late 1990s, Wagga City Council entrusted her to write an official history of the city.

Holding a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in history, Mrs Morris in her early career honed her research skills by working with author Margaret Carnegie.

“She used to say ‘you should write your own book’,” Mrs Morris said.

In 1980, with two children at North Wagga Public School and another on the way, Mrs Morris took up the suggestion.

“I had given up work and sort of fell into writing the history of North Wagga, and that fueled the fire,” Mrs Morris said.

Mrs Morris said her writing was driven by a love of history.

“I just love what I do, it’s a passion,” she said.

“I enjoy learning about the past and breaking it down and explaining it to other people.”

A citation read out by Wagga and District Historical Society past president Geoff Burch on Wednesday night described Mrs Morris as an esteemed member of the organisation.

“In a wider context, Sherry is by far the most prolific author of local and regional history in our region,” Mr Burch said.

“Her output has been absolutely astounding and Sherry continues to publish on a regular basis.”

Mrs Morris is currently writing a book about the Kapooka Military Area.