The local General Practitioner was awarded a NSW Rural Medical Service Award, in a virtual ceremony earlier this month.

But when asked about the award, Dr Richards downplayed the achievement.

"It's not like I invented penicillin," he joked. "All I had to do was survive long enough and keep working."

In reality, Dr Richards has entered a distinguished group, as one of only 14 doctors across the state to receive the award this year.

The award honours his commitment to helping the people of Griffith, but his career was already well underway by the time he first came to the Riverina.

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Dr Richards grew up in Rockhampton, and officially started his medical journey after graduating from Queensland University in 1975.

As a young doctor, he worked at a variety of clinics and rural hospitals in Central Queensland, providing care to the people of his hometown as well as those in surrounding areas.

He eventually made his way into NSW, but it wasn't until 1987, with over a decade of experience under his belt, that he ventured inland to a country town with Italian roots, to work with some university mates at Kookora Surgery.

Dr Richards would go on to spend the next 33 years working out of the same room he uses now.

The office is filled with a wild assortment of notes, books and small organ and skeleton models - all indicative of the past three decades he has spent ensuring the health and wellbeing of Griffith locals.

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For Dr Richards, working in a town like Griffith has been a 'best of both worlds' situation.

"In the country you see the same people more often," he said. "It's more stable ... I've been seeing some people for over a decade."

Griffith provided the perfect mix, small enough to develop real relationships, but big enough that it's not totally isolating, Dr Richards said.

"You've got a lot of specialist support here, and if there is a big crisis, we can send them up to the hospital."

"We've got plenty of support staff, and you can get a holiday if you need one."

Dr Richards said it was an honour to receive the award, and admitted that while the time may come when he's got to "bail out," he's not thinking about it yet.

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