Mr Crowe (70) said it had taken some years of advocacy for the college, established 64 years ago, to reach the point of making such an appointment and he thanked the college for its foresight.
"It is tremendous to have a community voice at long last in the appropriate place," he said.
The fact that he was from Dunedin reinforced his view that "you don't have to move to Wellington or other areas - you can work just as well from here".
He will be attending meetings in Melbourne for the council, as an observer, something he said would enable consumers and carers to bring their "lived experience" to the council table, providing an alternative perspective.
College president Dr Maria Tomasic, in a statement, said the college acknowledged and supported the role consumers and carers played in influencing the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of mental health services at all levels of government.
Their contribution to policy development and assistance in setting priorities to address quality and safety issues in mental health service delivery was essential, she said.
Mr Crowe has been a community worker and advocate for more than 30 years.
He was the first field worker for SF Otago (Schizophrenia Fellowship), later serving as president of the national body. In 1996, he was elected to the World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders board.
In his various roles with that organisation he visited almost 30 countries around the world delivering educational workshops, running discussion groups for families and professionals and supporting national family organisations. He has delivered papers at conferences and symposiums.
His responsibilities in the Asian region led to the formation of an Asian forum where representatives of 10 countries meet each year to share achievements and plans.
He was a member of the 1996 commission of inquiry into mental health services which led to the setting up of the Mental Health Commission, early intervention services and better funding for services.
Mr Crowe was honoured in 1990 with a Commemorative Medal.
He has also been invited to sit on the New Zealand board of Life Without Barriers, an organisation begun in 1995 in Australia by a group of concerned people to improve the lives of people living with a disability.
