Menu
Log in
Forgot password

australasian hydrographic Society

Log in
Forgot password

AHS Award Scheme


It is now time to consider nominations for those who have contributed to our industry. In particular, be a little more adventurous and consider appropriate nominations in the corporate or even literary categories. As you will be aware, it is a right of membership that only AHS members can endorse nominations. There are to be two levels of awards, the Australasian Society awards and the NZ-EA-WA Regional awards. 

The first awards under this scheme were made at HYDRO 2003 in Christchurch and it is intended that awards since 2014 will be made annually at World Hydrography Day celebration events.

AHS is by definition a learned organization with a membership that now covers a broad spectrum of all those involved or having an expressed interest in hydrography and related sciences. As such, the consensus of the membership is that there is probably no better group involved with hydrographic pursuits to better judge all of the various contributions across the industry.
The key dates for award nominations for 2024 are:

  1. Final date for submission of Awards nominations 22 March 2024.
  2. Deliberation of Awards by Board of Selectors will be completed by 1 April 2024.
  3. Selection forwarded to the AHS Council for Endorsement 5 April 2024.
  4. Awardees notified by the AHS President around 6 April 2024.
  5. Awards Presented at Hydrospatial 2024 Conference on 9-11 April 2024 and/or the AGM.
Awards may be made under the following categories of achievement:

Career, Scientific & Technological, Industry, Corporate, Environmental, Maritime Safety, Information Management, Literary & Media, Exhibition and Service (to the Australasian Hydrographic Society).
The Education Award Scheme while part of the overall awards procedure is separately funded and administrated.


Nomination Form for AHS Award

Note: Refer to POLICY DIRECTIVE (OBJECTIVE 4) – AHS AWARDS SCHEME, Nomination Process, paragraphs 10-12.

This form is to be used for nominating an individual or group to receive formal recognition under the AHS’s Awards Scheme. The categories, selection process and eligibility criteria are available by writing to the Honorary Secretary of the AHS, or from the society’s website.

Download Nomination Form

Ask Your Questions

Awards Chairman
Rhys Davies

History of
AHS Awards
Honour Board







The AHS Awards Scheme seeks to promote the values and ideals of the organisation and to give fair and equitable recognition to those individuals and organisations and companies that have by their actions contributed to promoting these values in numerous fields of endeavour; it is inclusive of all elements of the hydrographic community although predominantly focused on AHS members.

Achievement Awards 2013 to 2022

If you need more details, you can download the award summary list (2003-2014) by clicking here.

Year Category Subcategory Australasian Award Awardee
2013 Patron's Gold Medal Australasian Commodore R. Nairn, AM, RAN (Rtd)
2013 Award of Merit - Literary and Media Achievement Literary Achievement (Non-Fiction) Australasian Ms D.F.Prescott
2014 Order of Merit - Service to the Australian Hydrographic Society Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr R. Furness
2014 Award of Merit - Career Achievement Achievement in Hydrography Australasian Mr J. Mitchell
2014 Award of Merit - Career Achievement Achievement in Hydrography Australasian Mr W. Dunn
2015 Patrons Gold Medal Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr R. Gerritsen
2015 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr A. Millett
2015 Award of Merit Career Acheivement in Hydrography Australasian Mr B. Wallen
2015 Award of Merit Career Acheivement in Hydrography Australasian Mr P. Kennedy
2015 Award of Merit Career / Service Achievement (Administration / Hydrographic Publishing Australasian Ms M. Pietersen
2016 Patrons Gold Medal Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr R. E. Ward
2016 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Dr P. Knight
2017 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Commander David Crossman
2017 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr Kam Austine
2017 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr Ian Halls
2017 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Dr Peter Ramsay
2017 Award of Merit Achievement In Hydrography Australasian Fugro
2018 Patrons Gold Medal For service to the promotion of Australian hydrographic capability Australasian Commodore B. Brace
2018 Order of Merit Service Achievment (Administration) Australasian Mr R. Cullen
2018 Award of Merit - Corporate Achievement Achievement In Hydrography Australasian Fugro Australia Marine Pty Ltd
2018 Award of Merit - Career Achievement Achievement In Hydrography Australasian Mr G.J. Cox
2018 Award of Merit - Scientific and Technological Achievement Scientific Achievement by an Individual Australasian Dr H.L. Neil
2018 Award of Merit - Scientific and Technological Achievement Scientific Achievement by an Individual Australasian Mr K. A. Mackay
2020 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Operations) Australasian Mr P. G Wells
2020 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Operations) Australasian Mr D. J. Donohue
2020 Award of Merit - Corporate Achievement Achievement In Hydrography Australasian Rear Admiral P. Briggs AO CSC (Retired)
2020 Award of Merit - Corporate Achievement Achievement In Hydrography Australasian Ms K. Picard
2021 Oder of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Mr M. Jones
2021 Oder of Merit Service Achievement (Administration) Australasian Lieutenant Commander P. Davies
2021 Award of Merit - Corporate Achievement Career Achievement (Training) Australasian Mr R. Talbot-Smith
2022 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Operations) Australasian Mr J. Maschke
2022 Order of Merit Service Achievement (Operations) Australasian Mr K. Smith
2022 Award of Merit - Career Achievement Career Achievement (Training) Australasian Mr R. Davies
2023 Order of Merit - Career Achievement Service Achievment (Operations) Australasian Mr G. Chisholm

Emeritus AHS Awards

Emeritus is the Society's highest award, granted for the most significant and prolonged service to the Society and the promotion of hydrography and related sciences.

Year Category Awardee
2003 Across AU and Int Community Commander Edward Ronald Whitmore, RAN (Rtd)
2004 Across AU and Int Community Commander Larry Robbins, OBE, RNZN (Rtd)
2005 Across AU Captain Michael Calder, AM, RAN (Rtd)

We Pursue Excellence, Accuracy, Freedom of Information, People, Technology and Safety under a Non-Profit Society ...

Would like to Join Us?

Join us

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software