Awards - EHA Award of Merit
From Engineering Heritage Australia
Award of Merit
In 2002 Engineering Heritage Australia established an award called the Award of Merit for Engineering Heritage. This award compliments the Monash Medal, which is an award for ‘outstanding achievement in Engineering Heritage’. The Award of Merit is aimed at recognising and showing appreciation for outstanding service to people who make significant contributions to the cause of engineering heritage, in a variety of ways, mostly as volunteers and often over many years.
A list of recipients of the EHA Award of Merit are:
| Approval Year | Awardee and Citation | Summary of Citation | Presentation Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | AYRE, Doug | Between 2009 and 2019 Doug completed 10 engineering oral histories for EHWA. In 2011 Doug also managed national oral history issues and revised EHA's procedure for oral history work. Doug is recognised for his expertise in interviewing in engineering and technical areas, and in an interview for Engineers Australia, Doug said of oral history: It’s an important part of our cultural heritage, if you don’t get the story down, when that person dies, it dies with them. A copy of the Award Certificate is available here. | 15 February 2022 |
| 2021 | SIMMERS, James | Post retirement, Jim’s interest in electrical history continued post with volunteering at the Queensland Energy Museum to which he was technical adviser. He has authored numerous papers varying from "Edison Tubes Down Under" to "Distribution System Voltage Control Methods". After formal retirement Jim wrote numerous papers on the many aspects of Brisbane's Early Lighting System from Parliament House to the Electrification of the Suburbs. Jim was active on the Engineering Heritage Queensland Committee for ten years from 2004 and the Division’s archivist for seven years. | October 2021 |
| 2018 | TILBROOK, Lyndon | Lyndon joined EHC in 2004 and in 2007 took on the position of Chair. In the following 10 years while Chair, Lyndon’s considerable contributions included chairing the 2013 EHA Conference in Canberra and EHRP nominations of the Space Tracking Station, the Australian War Memorial Technology Collection and the Parliament Houses of Canberra. Lyndon represented the Canberra Division on the EHA National Committee from Nov 2006 until Dec 2017, was assistant editor of the EHA Newsletter for five years and contributed to publication of the Centenary Books. | Mid 2019 |
| 2016 | McGRATH, Brian | Brian joined the Engineering Heritage Queensland Committee in 2006 and became immersed in the Engineering Heritage Recognition Program, notably the Blackall Wool Scour recognition, on which he undertook additional research regarding original equipment and history. Brian attended EHA meetings from November 2010 and became Queensland's representative from November 2011. National contributions included a survey and review of the Oral History Program and regular contributions to the EHA Quarterly Magazine since its inception. | Posthumous-Oct 2016 |
| 2015 | BREEN, Jon | In 1994 Jon was appointed to the position of Archivist for Sydney Water. He was responsible for the research and recording the engineering significance of Sydney's Prospect Reservoir and Cataract Dam, and components of the Upper Nepean Scheme. Both have been awarded Engineering Heritage Markers. Jon remains the Official Historian for Sydney Water, actively involved in increasing its historical knowledge. He conducts tours of Sydney Water's facilities, including the highly prized "Tank Stream" inspections, while also providing water lectures state-wide. | 16 October 2016 |
| 2015 | COLE, Bruce | Bruce joined Engineering Heritage Tasmania in 1998, became Secretary in 1999 and held position of Chair from 2006. Bruce joined the EHA National Board in December 1999, was Deputy Chair in 2001 and 2002, and Chair in 2003 and 2004. Bruce also managed the John Monash Medal awards panel for four years and convened the Heritage Recognition Committee for four years. Bruce has prepared five EHRP nominations and organised eight recognition ceremonies, putting Tasmania on the Engineering Heritage map. He was the Chair of the organising committee for the EHA Conference in Hobart in 2011 and in 2014 was appointed Convenor of the Centenary Book Committee. | 8 December 2015 |
| 2015 | WOODSIDE, John | John has been an active member of the EHSA committee and has played a key role in organising our state conference, securing speakers, and researching and presenting his own papers. John was also project manager for the restoration of the Sir William Goodman Bridge by the City of Charles Sturt – an almost perfect example of how relatively straightforward engineering can preserve an historic structure and return it for use by the community. | 11 February 2015 |
| 2013 | BAKER, Keith | Keith has been a member of Engineering Heritage Canberra since the early 1990s and was Chair of the Branch for three years. He was also a member of the National Board since 1999 and served in a variety of positions including Chair from 2005 to 2006. Keith chaired the organising committee for the 2001 National Engineering Heritage Conference held in Canberra. Keith is a member of ICOMOS and the National Trust of Australia (ACT) and was a member of the ACT Heritage Council's Standing Committee on Built Heritage for two years. In 2013 Keith's definitive record, A Centenary of Canberra Engineering, was released. This book provides a wonderful record in both text and photographs of the development of Canberra. | 19 November 2013 |
| 2013 | LEE, Tony | Tony joined Engineering Heritage Tasmania in 2004 and became Secretary in 2006. Tony's EHRP nomination of the Duck Reach Power Scheme was in two volumes, one of the nomination and the second containing the original papers. Since 2006 Tony has taken responsibility for the Tasmanian quarterly heritage lecture program, constantly generating good ideas and recruiting willing speakers. The lectures are well advertised outside EA and successfully attract a healthy attendance from kindred bodies. | 19 November 2013 |
| 2013 | PECHEY, Hugh | Hugh joined Engineering Heritage Queensland in the early 1990s. He authored a detailed paper on the history of the Commonwealth Department of Works. Over many years Hugh has been a regular participant in conducting group tours during Engineering Week around the Engineering heritage sites of inner Brisbane. In 1996 Hugh accepted the position of Minute Secretary and held this position for 13 years. | Mid 2013 |
| 2013 | PIERCE, Miles | Miles joined Engineering Heritage Victoria in the 1990s. He served as Deputy Chair from 2005 to 2009 and as Chair from 2010 to 2012. During his time as Chair Miles commenced an ambitious project to develop a database of significant engineering heritage sites in Victoria. Miles has authored or co-authored four notable papers on the history and heritage of early public electricity supply and water hydraulic power systems that have been published in EA Journals. Miles has actively promoted Engineering Heritage in the wider community by presenting talks to a range of community groups. | Mid 2013 |
| 2012 | KEMP, Deane | Deane was Inaugural Chair of the South Australian Division's Engineering Heritage Branch. Under Deane's leadership, EHSA organised the State's first heritage recognition awards; established a reputation for field trips; and prepared the first guide to the City of Adelaide's engineering heritage. Deane was on the National Panel and chaired the Panel from 1991 to 1992. He was also a member of the Plaquing Subcommittee and assisted in producing EHA's first guidelines for engineering heritage and conservation. | 22 February 2012 |
| 2012 | STACY, Bill | Bill joined Engineering Heritage South Australia in 1983. He contributed to the Historic Bridges series published in the Highways Department's journal, developing it into a valuable record of the State's engineering heritage. Bill has published many papers; with a paper on the history of timber bridge building in the Journal of the Institute of Wood Science. He initiated Highway through the Hills, a booklet published when the Adelaide-Crafers Highway was opened in 2000. He has also conducted tours exploring the heritage of Adelaide Hills roads and contributed chapters on these topics to several published histories. | 22 February 2012 |
| 2012 | STEWIEN, Ron | Ron Stewien was a foundation member of Engineering Heritage South Australia. Ron was a key contributor to field trips and delivered talks to professional and community groups. From 1963 to 1972 he was Chair of the Australian Railway Historical Society (SA Division) Book Committee which produced three marvellous volumes on the 500, 600 and 700 class SAR steam locomotives and a book on the end of the steam era at Peterborough. In 2001 Ron prepared the nomination of the Trans Australian Railway for a National Engineering Landmark and was involved in planning the ceremony. | 22 February 2012 |
| 2012 | WAPLES, Ian | For his last five years with the Department of Main Roads Queensland, Ian was its inaugural Heritage Manager, responsible for the heritage collection in Toowoomba. Membership of Engineering Heritage Queensland began in 1988 and he held the position of Chair from 1996 to 1998. In 2003 he organised the EHA conference in Toowoomba. In 2012 Ian published ‘Isis Downs Station: 1910’s, a Decade of Development’. This book is an important contribution to knowledge of Queensland's wool industry. | 10 December 2012 |
| 2012 | WILSON, Oscar (Allen) | A member of Engineering Heritage Tasmania for 22 years, Allen recorded three oral history interviews and collected information about proposed crossings of the River Derwent dating back to 1832. This research culminated in a detailed record of the design and construction of Hobart's novel Floating Bridge. On this topic he co-authored a paper presented at the 2011 Engineering Heritage Conference in Hobart. He also collected material on the historic bush tracks and surveys preceding the construction of the Lyell Highway from Derwent Bridge to Gormanston, linking Hobart to the West Coast in 1932. | 26 November 2012 |
| 2012 | YOUNG, Don | In 2002 Dr Richard Hartley was commissioned by the Water Corporation to write a history of the Goldfields Water Supply. As a Water Corporation Board member, Don managed liaison for this commission on behalf of the Water Corporation and the National Trust through to publication of River of Steel in 2007. Don joined Engineering Heritage WA in 2003, serving as Secretary (2004-2007) and Chair (2008-2011). In 2010 and 2012 Don led very popular public historical tours of Perth's bridges as part of Engineers Week. As Chair, he reinvigorated the programme of nominating sites for heritage recognition and continued to manage the WA program until his retirement in 2016. | 10 December 2012 |
| 2011 | SZONDY, Gabrielle | Gabriella Szondy grew up in Adelaide in the 1960s, but moved to Europe in the 1970s, returning to South Australia eight years ago. She gained academic qualifications with a BA in Modern Languages, History and Cultures from the University of Avignon, France, researching with particular interest the Industrial Revolution, its associated working conditions and social changes. | 11 May 2011 |
| 2011 | RIGDEN, Glenn | Glenn joined EHS in 1999 and was Chair from 2002 to 2008. He was the driving force for the pamphlet ‘Engineering and Industrial Heritage’ for the NSW Heritage Office. Glenn took a lead role in organising the 2005 Engineering Heritage Conference. He was the Committee's representative on the Roads and Traffic Authority's Heritage Committee from 2001 to 2007 and on the EHA Committee from 2002 to 2007. Glenn prepared two EHRP nominations, the Goulburn Waterworks and the 1838 Victoria Pass. | 4 April 2011 |
| 2011 | MERCER, Doug | With his interest in engineering heritage, Doug was awarded a PhD from the University of Queensland History Department on the subject of History of Lightning Research in Queensland based on his research and association with pioneering work done at the University of Queensland. He served on the EHQ panel for many years and presented two papers to the Brisbane History Group, one on lightning research and the other on the slow progress of getting electricity supply to the citizens of Ipswich. | 20 June 2011 |
| 2011 | HARVEY, Robert | Bob was Secretary of EHC from 1991 to 1995 and Chair from 1996 to 1998. He was involved with conservation of the Cotter Hydro Pump and Kingstoon Power Station, supporting grants for heritage studies, conduct of oral history recording and arranging open days. He was also active in the drafting of the ACT Engineering Heritage self-guided drive and in the organising committee for the National Conference held in Canberra in 2001. He had a major role with the engineering heritage recognition of the Kingston Powerhouse, the Thanva Bridge and the Cotter River Dam Precinct. | 28 April 2012 |
| 2010 | POWELL, Ron | Ron's commitment to the conservation of stone buildings and structures is driven by a passion for the historic architecture of Sydney. His achievements include establishment of the George Proudman Fellowship to encourage qualified stonemasons; the accumulation of Yellowblock Sandstone for future conservation work; conservation of the stone fabric of Sydney Hospital, State Library of NSW, Australian Museum, Sydney Observatory and Darlinghurst Courthouse; and with support from EHS, arranging for a historic engineering plaque for the site of Saunders' Paradise quarry at Pyrmont. | 19 April 2010 |
| 2010 | MILLS, Wally | Wally arranged the conservation of the rock bolting development site in Lambie Gorge, Cooma, and brought to attention its significance in developing modern rock bolting practice. In 2009 the site was recognised with a National Engineering Heritage Landmark at a ceremony during the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Wally formed and chaired a committee that organised these celebrations which attracted over 3,000 registrants. Wally has presented the rock bolting story at a number of public talks and published a booklet, The Snowy Men Behind Tunnel Rock Bolting. | 15 June 2010 |
| 2010 | BOWIE, Ian | Ian joined EHS in 1980. Soon after joining he became Secretary, a position he held for 13 years. He was Chair in 1993 and 1994. Ian was involved with the development of the Sydney Harbour Bridge website for the NSW Board of Studies, researching technical material with the Powerhouse Museum and the University of Sydney. He has also contributed material including the J.J.C. Bradfield report on tenders for the Bridge. He was a long term member of the NSW National Trust's Industrial Heritage Committee, was a chair of that committee; and in 2007 was awarded the Trust's voluntary service medal. | 19 April 2010 |
| 2010 | MOULDS, Tony | Tony was a member of the EHWA from 1983 to 2007 and Chair from 1987 to 1992 and from 2002 to 2007. He was a member of the National Committee from 1987 to 1994 and from 2002 to 2007, and was National Chair in 1993 and 1994. During his time as Chair of EHWA it achieved an excellent reputation with the Heritage Council and the National Trust. In 2004 Tony prepared a nomination for the Ord River Dam. He was Chair of the committee which organised the National Engineering Heritage conference in Perth in November 2007. | July 2010 |
| 2010 | BALASSONE, Paul | Paul has championed Melbourne Water's heritage management and produced a number of conservation management plans including Yan Yean Water Supply System, Western Sewage Treatment Plant and Maroondah Water Supply System. Paul's strong relationships with key heritage agencies have resulted in unique collaborations and effective projects that promote the preservation of heritage sites. Paul holds a seat on the Deakin University Course Advisory Committee for Cultural Heritage Studies. | 17 Feb 2011 |
| 2010 | JORDAN, Bill | Bill's involvement with EHA began in 1990. He represented Newcastle from 1991 and became Chair in 1997/98. Bill was a long-term editor of the EHA Newsletter and chair of the EHA Heritage Recognition Committee from 2001 to 2006 and again in 2010. He has led the group of engineers who maintain and operate the 1885 Craven Brothers rope-driven gantry crane and who initiated the Newcastle engineering heritage walk. With Peter Cockbain, Bill nominated the Honeysuckle Point Railway Workshops, including the crane, for an Engineering Heritage Marker in October 1996. | To be confirmed. |
| 2009 | RIDGEWAY, Nigel | Nigel joined EHSA in 1999 and was Chair from 2000 to 2006. He was a member of EHA from 2000 to 2006. In 2001 Nigel led recognition of River Murray Locks, Goolwa Barrages, East-West Telegraph and Trans-Australia Railway. He presented papers to the 2007 and 2009 Conferences and has several articles in the Bulletin of the International Stationary Steam Engine Society. On a practical level, he owns and has restored several stationary engines. | 17 February 2010 |
| 2009 | BLACK, Robin | Robin was a Senior Lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology. On retirement in 1997 he joined EHQ and was Chair from 1998 to 2007. While Chair EHQ organised the 2003 Conference at Toowoomba, published Eminent Queensland Engineers Volume 2 and a Heritage Trail of inner Brisbane. He was active in the recognition of Cairns-Kuranda Railway, Victoria Bridge in Townsville, Southern Cross windmill at Toowoomba and minimum energy loss culvert at Redcliffe. Robin joined the EHA National Board in May 1999 and served on the Plaquing Committee from 2001 to 2005. | 24 August 2009 |
| 2009 | HARTLEY, Richard | After a 20 year engineering career, Richard completed a PhD on the history of gold metallurgy in Kalgoorlie. He joined EHWA in 1992 and was secretary for three years. He represented EHWA on committees dealing with the future of East Perth Power Station and Midland Junction Railway Workshops. He was honorary archivist for the WA Division and lodged a wide range of historical documents in the State Library of WA. Richard is the author of River of Steel - A History of the Western Australian Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply 1903-2003. Other publications include Industry and Infrastructure in Western Australia 1929-1940 and a biography of Sir Laurence Brodie-Hall. | 20 October 2009 |
| 2009 | SPRATT, Peter | Peter has completed about 200 conservation and heritage studies and projects. A major study concerned the buildings at Port Arthur. Peter led research and testing which showed that damage was due to clay and salt crystals in the bricks. Peter developed conservation measures that have since been applied to other historic buildings. His knowledge of The Royal Engineers Building in Hobart enabled restoration of this building and he has recently provided a report on its present condition. Peter was an inaugural member of the Tasmanian Heritage Council in 1996 and served three terms. He worked for the Council on Richmond Bridge (1825), Ross Bridge (1836) and the Bridgewater Bridge (1947). | 10 November 2009 |
| 2009 | COSSINS, Geoffrey | In 1966, Geoff published his first historical paper on Brisbane's water supply, and in 1986 researched and compiled a major contribution to J R Cole's Shaping a City: Greater Brisbane 1925-1985. In 1999 Geoff edited Eminent Queensland Engineers Volume 2 and in 2000 published his The Gold Creek Dam Story. While on the Division Committee in the 1970s, Geoff supported heritage matters and has contributed papers to EHQ’s technical program. | June 2009 |
| 2009 | McINTYRE, Ross | Ross was active with EHC for more than 23 years. He served as EHC's Chair, Secretary and Treasurer multiple times over this period. He has worked on recording Canberra's history and had a major role in the second edition of Canberra's Engineering Heritage. He has made a significant contribution to the recognition of engineering heritage sites in the ACT, and he has been personally responsible for the nomination of several sites. | December 2009 |
| 2008 | HORMAN, Trevor | 29 July 2008 | |
| 2008 | McCUTCHAN, John | November 2008 | |
| 2007 | VENUS, Richard | February 2008 | |
| 2007 | HOMANN, Bryan | February 2008 | |
| 2007 | FRASER, Don | March 2008 | |
| 2007 | PATTERSON, Bill | 20 August 2008 | |
| 2007 | KENT, Mick | 21 August 2007 | |
| 2007 | PATON, Jim | In 1978 Jim formed the WA Engineering Heritage Panel and was chair for its first six years. His retiring address as Division Chair in 1979 centred on WA's engineering heritage. He was responsible for organising the 1979 Engineering Conference in Perth which attracted over 1,400 delegates. Jim made engineering heritage a feature of the conference displaying items of engineering heritage and over 800 historic photographs. Jim was WA's representative on the National Panel during its formative activities. He helped develop the Institution's approach to engineering heritage with Professor Ray Whitmore, Denis Cumming, Professor Crawford and others. Jim presented papers to engineering heritage conferences and was a member of the organising committee for the 2007 Engineering Heritage Conference in Perth. | 20 November 2007 |
| 2006 | HAGENBACH, Paul | 29 March 2008 | |
| 2006 | Van der MOLEN, Dick | 10 August 2006 | |
| 2005 | MUIRHEAD, John I | 8 August 2005 | |
| 2005 | LAY, Max | December 2006 | |
| 2005 | WHITHAM, Lindsay | 9 August 2005 | |
| 2005 | COLTHEART, Lenore | 4 April 2005 | |
| 2004 | DREWITT, Keith | 18 October 2004 | |
| 2004 | IZOD, Leo | 5 October 2004 | |
| 2003 | McFIE, Henry Hector | 26 May 2003 | |
| 2002 | BREEN, Robert Attree | The inaugural Award of Merit for Engineering Heritage was presented to Rob Breen for his outstanding service over many years to the National Panel (later Committee) for Engineering Heritage. | 12 December 2002 |
