Wednesday, 29 November 2006

Maritime Medal Heroes Announced

The full list of winners of the inaugural NSW Maritime Medal were announced today.

A total of 15 Maritime Medals have been awarded for outstanding bravery, exemplary environmental work, or other activities designed to make the oceans and waterways safer, cleaner, or more accessible.

Each year, people do remarkable things that benefit others in the maritime community, and previously much of this contribution had gone unrewarded.

These maritime heroes are community role models deserving of public respect and admiration for their efforts.

The State Government has this year decided to formally recognise these people by creating the NSW Maritime Medal.

The NSW Maritime Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions to the maritime community in the categories of safety, environment and community.

The people honoured with Maritime Medals today were chosen by an independent panel from a group of more than 50 worthy nominees.

The winners are:

• Ken Edwards OAM of Killarney Heights, 77, for his thousands of volunteered hours teaching the almost lost art of square rig sailing and for the restoration of the barque The James Craig;
• Robert and Jan Foster, a Sydney couple in their 70s who have donated countless hours volunteering for the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard;
• 77 year-old North Rocks resident Peter Goadby for his 60-year commitment to the conservation and ethical handling of fish, including tag and release methods;
• 60-year-old Ocean Shores resident Robert Goodacre, for his 20-year commitment to volunteering his time and skills at the Brunswick Valley and District Volunteer Rescue Organisation;
• Spring Terrace’s Tim Hone, 50, for his seven-year commitment to disabled sailing;
• 78-year-old Callala Bay’s Keith Horne for his 15-year commitment to junior sailing;
• 65-year-old Ian Kiernan AO of Sydney for his enormous contribution to motivating people to clean up Sydney Harbour and other waterways all around the world;
• 50-year-old Stuart McKenzie of Nelson Bay who put his own life at risk to heroically rescue three people after their yacht pitchpoled in rough conditions.
• 89-year-old George Nielson, of Sydney, for his seven-decade involvement in rowing and volunteer work for the Sydney Heritage Fleet;
• 60-year-old Drummoyne’s David Pescud for his decade-plus involvement in supporting and designing programs to assist disabled people into sailing;
• Members of the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol in Ulladulla for their commitment to providing voluntary search and rescue services to the local area;
• Port Macquarie’s Geoff Shelton, 50, for his 20-year involvement in teaching and providing safety on NSW waterways;
• 61-year-old Yamba’s Robert Toyer for his extraordinary bravery in rescues at sea;
• The entire crew of the Pyrmont-based MV Lady Wakehurst for their quick actions in providing assistance and preventing loss of life in an on-water fire near Goat Island;