A man who jumped into a river to a save an elderly driver and his pet dog from a sinking car is one of two West Australians who have been awarded medals in the Australian Bravery Awards.

Robin Evernden has been recognised for his actions almost a year ago near Molloy Island, a small piece of land surrounded by the Blackwood and Scott rivers near Augusta.

Mr Everndon, the manager of the island, was about to set off on a barge from the mainland when a man accidentally drove off the ferry and into the Blackwood River.

"An elderly gentleman came down and his car accelerated onto the barge and broke through the gates on the riverside, ending up in the river a few metres away from the barge," Mr Evernden said.

"We had to get in the water initially, but trying to get to a car that's floating is a bit like a ping-pong ball in a river.

"So I ended up going back to the barge and taking the barge out to him."

Mr Everndon plucked the driver from his sinking vehicle before returning to save his dog. ( Supplied )

After some quick thinking, Mr Evernden managed to wedge one of the ramps from the barge into the car to keep it from sinking completely.

"I was able to reassure [the driver] all the time the car was above water," he said.

"It filled up with water and I couldn't see him anymore because the car was basically submerged at that point. It must have been pretty scary for him.

"[He] had managed to get into the rear of the car, so still in an air bubble at the back, and at that point that's when it all got a bit tricky.

"We had to break the window and lie down and get my arms inside and try to find him, made contact and everything, and managed to get his head out the window so he could get some air into him.

"He did exactly as I told him. [I] pushed him back in so he could push with his legs and he popped out like a cork coming out a bottle.

"And it was just a case of dragging him up on the barge and going back for the dog."

Mr Everndon said while he was not a strong swimmer, he knew he was under pressure.

"You don't have any time to think about what ifs and everything; you just get on and do what you've got to do, and that's what happened.

"It's nice for recognition so thanks to whoever it was who nominated me.

"I got a very good report from the local boys later on, accusing me of being [comic book superhero] Aquaman and such things."

Publican says drunk patrons prepared him for bank robber

Meanwhile, Collie's Crown Hotel publican Mark McCarthy has also been awarded a Bravery Medal after he chased and wrestled a man who had robbed two banks and held him until police arrived.

Mr McCarthy had been walking his pet dog in February last year when a bank worker ran out onto the street saying they had been robbed.

Mr McCarthy spotted the robber and sprang into action, leaving his dog with a stranger.

"[The robber] didn't look very harmless at the time or very dangerous at the time, so I thought I'd take off after him," he said.

"I guessed he was looking for his ride, that's what I was picturing, and then he ran into the second bank which was on the other side of town ... and I'd just about caught up to him by then."

The culprit proceeded to rob the second bank before being confronted by Mr McCarthy.

"He was in there for a few minutes and then when he came out I just grabbed hold of him," he said.

Mr McCarthy tackled the robber to the ground and held him until police arrived.

"They were a bit shocked when they got there that I'd already done their job for them," he said.

Mr McCarthy said looking back, there was a bit of stupidity in his decision to chase the man.

"It wasn't until after I thought, 'well you'd be silly to rob a bank without anything', but I guess it was spur of the moment and it just sort of happened.

"I did have a moment where I stopped and thought 'maybe this guy's got a gun or maybe this guy's got a knife' or probably the biggest worry was 'maybe this guy's got a syringe'."

Mr McCarthy said his work dealing with intoxicated patrons had prepared him for the incident.

"Collie's pretty good. We have very few incidents but you are in a position where you sort of have to be quite firm with the patrons when alcohol's involved," he said.

"And if you can keep firm you can eliminate a lot of problems, so I guess part of that was instilled into me.

"I didn't see it as a threat, I just saw it as something I could help with at the time."