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Bushwalker Order of Australia Awards

Members of Bushwalking NSW and our clubs have been recognised with an Order of Australia or National Service medal for their conservation work and contribution to bushwalking.

Awards

Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) – awarded for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity at large.

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) –  for distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large.

Member of the Order of Australia (AM) – awarded for service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group.

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) – awarded for service worthy of particular recognition.

The National Emergency Medal – awarded to persons who rendered sustained or significant service during nationally-significant emergencies in Australia.

Centenary Medal – instituted to commemorate the contribution made to the Federation of Australia, Australian society and government by its citizens and other persons during the year 2001, the Centenary of Federation of Australia.

 

Prior to the current Australia award system, Commonwealth citizens were awarded the following medals by the British Crown:

Order of the British Empire (OBE)  – Distinguished regional or county-wide role in any field, through achievement or service to the community including notable practitioners known nationally.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)  – Achievement or service in and to the community which is outstanding in its field and has delivered sustained and real impact which stands out as an example to others

British Empire Medal (BEM) Achievement or contribution of a very “hands-on” service to the community in a local geographical area.This might take the form of sustained commitment in support of very local charitable and/or voluntary activity.

The list below includes these awards if they are related to services to bushwalking, conservation, or search and rescue.

 

Bushwalking recipients

Alex Colley OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 11th of June, 1984.

Citation:In recognition of service to conservation.

Centenary Medal 1st of January, 2001.

Citation: For service to the environment through the Foundation for Wilderness.

 

Andy MacQueen OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)  10th of June 2019.

Citation: For service to conservation and the environment.

Media Note: Conservation

  • Foundation Member, Sea Spurge Remote Area Teams (SPRATS), since 2007.
  • Foundation President, Friends of the Colo, since 2000.
  • Member, Blue Mountains Region Advisory Committee, National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Colin Watson OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 12th of June 1989.

Citation: For service to conservation and bushwalking.

More info

 

David Drohan

National Medal 7th of October 2009

NSW SES BSAR Rescue Operator

 

David Sheppard

National Medal 30th of September 2009

NSW SES BSAR Rescue Operator

 

Ian Brown OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 12th of June 2000

Citation: For service to the community, particularly as a member of the Spirit of Australia South Pole Expedition, and to Scouts Australia.

Current member
  • Blue Mountains Conservation Society
  • National Parks Association of NSW
  • Friends of Colo
Past member
  • Macquarie (University) Mountaineering Society
  • Darwin Bushwalking Club
  • Narrabri Bushwalking Club
  • Central West Bushwalking Club
  • Upper Blue Mountains Bushwalking Club
Photo: Grant Dixon.

 

Jean Edgecombe OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 12th of June 1995.

Citation: In recognition of service to conservation and the environment and to the Australian Red Cross Society.

More info

Death notice

 

Joan Morison OAM 

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 26th of January 1992

Citation: For service to canoeing and kayaking.

 

John Evans OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 25th of January 2021

Citation: For service to bushwalking, and to the community

Media Note: Canberra Bushwalking Club

  • Various roles, since 2004.
  • Bushwalk host, ongoing.

Bushwalking Other

  • Publisher, Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog, current.
  • Has documented every bushwalk (over 1200) he has undertaken in the ACT, since 2004.
  • Involved with the identification and documentation of all ACT border markers, ongoing.

 ACT Government

  • Assists with kangaroo monitoring and other surveys, Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, current.

 

Keith Maxwell

National Service Medal 21st of August 1989

National Medal 1st Clasp 8th of March 1993

National Medal 9th of May 2007

Photo: Brian Fox

 

Keith Muir OAM

Centenary Medal 1st of January 2001

Citation: For service to the environment

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 26th of January 2004

Citation: For service to nature conservation, particularly through the Colong Foundation for Wilderness.

Current member: 

  • Blue Mountains Conservation Society
  • National Parks Association of NSW

Past member:

  • Darwin Bushwalking Club.

 

Keith Williams OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 12th of June 2000

Citation: For service to the community as a member of the Spirit of Australia South Pole Expedition, and to the Scouting movement.

Member:

  • Macquarie Uni Mountaineering Society
  • Three Peaks Outdoor Society
  • Wagga Wagga Wilderness Walkers
  • National Parks Association

 

Margaret Covi OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 26th of January 2024.

Citation: For service to bushwalking

Media Note:

Bushwalking NSW

  • Management Committee Member, since 2002.
  • Public Officer, 2009, and since 2019.
  • Risk Management Officer, since 2016.
  • President, 2003-2008.
  • Ex-Officio Delegate, Bushwalking Australia, 2003-2008.
  • Vice-President, 2019-2021.
  • Secretary, 2009-2016.
  • Member, Risk Management Committee, 2009-2016.

Watagan Wanderers

  • Secretary, since mid-1990s.
  • Bushwalking Trips Leader, current.
  • Club Representative, Bushwalking NSW, current.
  • Co-Founding Member, 1993.

 

Michael Keats OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 26th of January 2016.

Citation:For service to bushwalking, and as an author.

More info

Photo: Brain Fox

 

Myles Dunphy OBE

The Order of the British Empire – Officer (Civil) (Imperial), 31st of December 1976

Citation: In recognition of service to conservation

 

Ninian Melville BEM

The Order of the British Empire – Medal (Civil) / British Empire Medal (Civil) (Imperial) 1974

Ninian was a member of Coast & Mountain Walkers and received his award  for service to Search and Rescue.

 

Frank Austin (Paddy)  Pallin AM

Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 9th of June, 1975

Photo: Winifred Duncombe collection courtesy of Nancy and Robert Pallin.

 

Paul Campbell-Allen

National Medal 2nd of August 2018

NSW SES BSAR Captain

 

Phillip Isaacs OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 14th of June 2001

Citation: For service to the community through a range of roles.

Media Notes:

Rotary International

  • Member, Rotary Club of Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise, since 2001.
  • Director, Foundation Grants and International Activities, Rotary Club of Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise, current.
  • Former President and Member, Rotary Club of North Ryde.
  • Former President and Member, Rotary Club of Macquarie Park.
  • Former District Chair, Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC).

Sea Spurge Remote Area Teams (SPRATS)

  • Honorary Treasurer, 2007-2014.
  • Foundation Member, since 2007.

Community

  • Supporter, The Smith Family, current.
  • Volunteer, BlazeAid Tasmania, 2013.
  • Volunteer, Friends of Colo, since circa 2000.

Genetic Signatures

  • Non-Executive Director, 2003-2019

 

Peter Treseder OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 26th of January 1992.

Citation:for service to bushwalking.

 

Selby Alley OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 26th January 1987

Citation: In recognition of service to the community.

Selby George Alley died in 1990.

Former Member

  • Newcastle Bushwalking Club
  • National Parks Association – a prime activist in the campaign to declare Barrington Tops a national park, studied and recorded history of aboriginal occupation of the Hunter Valley
  • Newcastle Regional Committee of Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme
  • Flora and Fauna Preservation Society – foundation member
Photo with permission: Selby Alley Senior, Student Counsellor at Newcastle University, Newcastle Morning Herald Collection, Newcastle Libraries

 

Stan Cottier OAM

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 11th of June 1990.

Citation: In recognition of service to the conservation and the environment

More info