Distinguished service by six Antarctic expeditioners has been honoured in this year’s award of the Australian Antarctic Medal. Contributions in field glaciology, telecommunications, logistics, engineering and community leadership and service have been recognised in the award, announced by the Governor-General, His Excellency the Honourable Sir William Deane AC, KBE, on 21 June 2001.
This year’s Medal awards — part of the traditional Antarctic celebration of Midwinter — have gone to:
- Alan Elcheikh, of South Hobart, Tasmania, for an outstanding and sustained contribution to Australia’s glaciology program over ten years;
- Dr Joe Johnson, of Garran, ACT, for distinguished service as station leader at Casey and Davis and his contribution to feasibility studies for an Antarctic air transport system;
- Dale Allan Main, of Yarramalong, New South Wales, for distinguished service in telecommunications and scientific collecting in Antarctica and at Macquarie and Heard Islands;
- Ian John McLean, of West Footscray, Victoria, for outstanding support to scientific field workers and station communities;
- Peter Sprunk, of Miriam Vale, Queensland, for his outstanding effort and innovation in support of scientific fieldwork and station communities; and
- Michael Stone, of Wundowie, Western Australia, for distinguished service in managing fuel supplies and helping maintain station morale during a difficult year at Casey in 1999.