People

Several Natmappers and former Natmappers have received recognition for outstanding contributions to the mapping and surveying of Australia or its territories through the Australian (and formerly used Imperial) honours system or from academia.  Other former Natmappers have been recognised for outstanding contributions in other fields of endeavour (including decorations when serving with Australia’s armed forces).  Natmappers known to have received such recognition are listed below.

Honoured for outstanding contributions to mapping and surveying in Australia

Sydney Lorrimar Kirkby: 1 January 1966 Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) (MBE(C)) for service as a surveyor with the Division of National Mapping

Reginald Arthur Ford: 1 January1968 Medal of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) (BEM-(C)) for meritorious service (for his national mapping effort; particularly to the national geodetic survey)

Bruce Philip Lambert: 13 June 1970 Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) (OBE (C)) for service as Director of National Mapping

Byrne Ernest Goodrick: 12 June 1976 Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) (MBE (C)) in recognition of public service (with the Division of National Mapping)

Bruce Philip Lambert: 1977 awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of New South Wales

John Manning: 26 January 2001 Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service in the field of geodesy and in enhancing Australia’s international profile as a world leader in this area

Ruth Mary Dodd: 10 June 2002 Public Service Medal for outstanding public service through her contribution to major national mapping and atlas programmes

Paul Joseph Wise: 26 January 2016 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to mapping and to mapping history, specifically for creating and maintaining the XNatmap website

Gary Johnston: 11 June 2018 Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service through improving national and international scientific program delivery in satellite positioning and geodesy

Honoured for outstanding contributions to mapping and surveying in Antarctica

Sydney Lorrimar Kirkby: 11 June 2018 Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia, for distinguished service to surveying, particularly in the Antarctic, to polar exploration, research and mapping expeditions, and to professional scientific societies

Sydney Lorrimar Kirkby: 25 March 1958 Polar Medal Silver for service as Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions surveyor at Mawson base in 1956

David Robert Carstens: 6 November 1969 Polar Medal Silver for service as Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions surveyor at Mawson base in 1962

John Manning: 25 November 1969 Polar Medal Silver for service as Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions surveyor at Mawson base in 1967; awarded the Phillip Law Medal for 2019; photograph following award ceremony September 2019

Maxwell John Corry: 26 February 1974 Polar Medal Silver for service as Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions surveyor at Mawson base in 1965; Officer-in-Charge and Glaciologist, Amery Ice Shelf 1968

Maxwell Neil Rubeli: 1 March 1974 Polar Medal Silver for service as Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions surveyor at Mawson base in 1968

Martin Kros: 25 March 1978 Polar Medal Silver for service as Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions surveyor at Casey base

John Gerard Corcoran: 22 June 1987 Australian Antarctic Medal for outstanding contributions to surveying and mapping in Antarctica, especially his contribution to the International Antarctic Glaciological Project (IAGP) and as surveyor on the survey traverses undertaken from the Casey base

Honoured for outstanding service in other fields of endeavour

John Noble Core Rogers: 13 June 1964 Imperial Service Order (ISO) for service as Commonwealth Surveyor-General. (He was the second Director of National Mapping - 1949 to 1951)

Donald Joseph Gray: 26 January 1990 Public Service Medal for outstanding public service as the Manager, Australian Centre for Remote Sensing [ACRES] and his contribution to the US space program in Australia and the provision of technical advice to the Australian Space Board

Peter Handley Langhorne: 26 January 2019 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to parliament and politics at the state and national level.

Barry Paul McCormack: 23 August 2000 Australian Sports Medal for outstanding service as a competitor and an official (Paulo pursued competition and coaching interests in pistol shooting for over 50 years and was the head coach of successful Australian teams at Commonwealth and Olympic games events)

Edward Douglas Graham: 26 January 2009 Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the community through leadership roles in the successful search for HMAS Sydney

Andrew Leigh Clarke: 8 June 2009 Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service in driving significant reform of the energy market

Andrew Leigh Clarke: 26 January 2016 Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to public administration, communications and energy policy initiatives and reform; and to the spatial information industry

Decorated for service in Australia’s armed forces

Commander* D’Arcy Thomas Gale RAN: 27 February 1945 (date promulgated in London Gazette) Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for distinguished services successful survey works (when commander of HMAS Benalla in the Far East and Philippines from 2 January 1944 to 1 May 1945)

Lieutenant-Colonel* Howard Angas Johnson: 6 March 1947 Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military) (MBE (M)) for meritorious service in the North Solomons area of operations

Lieutenant John Dunstan Lines: 6 March 1947 Mention in Despatches for exceptional service in the field in the South-West Pacific Area

Lieutenant Norman Leslie George Williams: 6 March 1947 Mention in Despatches for distinguished service in the South-West Pacific Area

Warrant Officer Class 2 Bruce Graeme O’Connor: 12 December 1978 National Medal for diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances (as Company Sergeant Major 2 Commando Company - from 1972 to 1979)

Corporal Dominic Peter Yau: 3 June 1998 Commendation for Distinguished Service (for distinguished performance of duties in warlike operations with various Australia Army units in Vietnam over a period of 927 days between 16 April 1968 and 29 October 1970)

Major Bruce Graeme O’Connor: 26 January 1999 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for meritorious service to the Australian Army while serving with 1^st Commando Regiment

Notes: 1.* denotes rank upon retirement from the armed services.  2. Except for Bruce O’Connor these decorations were awarded for service prior to joining the Division of National Mapping.