Legatee Sarnia Birch OAM was born in Guernsey, Channel Island and migrated to Australia with her parents and two younger sisters aged 11.
Sarnia atteneded University of Melbourne, graduating in Law. After a few years in private practice, Sarnia was married and went into the motel industry in Rochester and Echuca. After returning to the Mornington Peninsula, she reentered the legal profession, completing a Graduate Diploma in Family Law at Monash University. Sarnia was employed by Victoria Legal Aid for 25 years, working in Family Law, Criminal Law and at senior management level before retiring in 2012.
Sarnia’s late husband Rod’s father was lost on HMAS Sydney II in 1941 when Rod was 14 months old. Rod and his mother were looked after by Legacy thereafter. When the rules changed to allow former Junior Legatees to volunteer, Rod became a Legatee and after his death in 2003, Sarnia was invited to become a Legatee at Mornington Peninsula Legacy Club. She has served as Comradeship Chair, President and Secretary and was elected to the Board of Legacy Australia Inc as Director, Regional Victoria in 2015.
Sarnia is currently Chair of the Governance Committee, a member of the Legacy2030 Steering Committee and is also a Churchwarden and Parish Secretary at Mount Eliza Anglican Church.
Sarnia has two children and loves spending time with her family, travel, genealogy, photography and patchwork.
