Australian Antarctic Medal


The Australian Antarctic Medal, originally designated the Antarctic Medal until 18 December 1997, is a meritorious service award of the Australian honours and awards system, instituted by Letters Patent on 2 June 1987.
Unique among the Australian meritorious service awards, the Australian Antarctic Medal may be awarded to the same person more than once. The medal may be awarded to anyone who has given outstanding service in connection with an Antarctic expedition, in scientific research, exploration, or in support of such work. Except in exceptional circumstances however, the medal will only be awarded if the nominee has also worked at least 12 months in Antarctic climates south of latitude 60° South, or in similar climate and terrain conditions elsewhere in the Antarctic region.
The Australian Antarctic Medal is also unique in that awardees are announced in their own Midwinter's Day awards list.
The Australian Antarctic Medal has only been awarded twice once, to Graham Robertson, and only four times posthumously.

Design

The Australian Antarctic Medal is a nickel-silver octagonal medal, 32 mm in diameter, ensigned with a hexagonal ice-crystal device, surmounted by a plain suspender bar. The obverse bears a depiction of the Southern Hemisphere showing Australia and the Antarctic enclosed by the inscription "FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE IN THE ANTARCTIC".
The reverse of the Australian Antarctic Medal has an Antarctic expeditioner outside Mawson's hut, leaning into a blizzard as they use an ice-axe.
The Australian Antarctic Medal is suspended on a 32 mm snow-white moire ribbon, with 3 mm edging of three shades of blue that merge into the white of the ribbon. A date bar, being a nickel-silver clasp of 30 mm wide and 6 mm high, inscribed with the year the eligible service was rendered, is attached to the ribbon of the medal.
Second and subsequent awards of the Australian Antarctic Medal are recognised by the awarding of another nickel-silver date bar clasp, worn on the ribbon above the medal, and by the use of 9 mm replicas of the ice-crystal device for each subsequent award on the ribbon bar.
The miniature of the Australian Antarctic Medal is a half-sized replica of the medal, suspended from a miniature of the ribbon that is 16 mm wide. Half-sized replicas of date bar clasps are worn on the ribbon of the miniature medal.
A lapel badge, being a 10 mm wide replica of the hexagonal ice-crystal device used on the medal, is also provided to awardees.

History

Prior to 2 June 1987, eligible service on Australian Antarctic expeditions was recognised by the Polar Medal under the Imperial honours system.

Origins

When Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke came to power in 1983, he declared his government would no longer be making any recommendations for Imperial honours and awards. The Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee, which had been set up by Ministerial appointment, declared at its meeting of 3 December 1984 that an Australian award should be created to honour outstanding achievement in the Australian Antarctic Territory, including for scientific achievement and exploration, and outlined some design specifications for the proposed medal. On 26 January 1986, Hawke announced the intention to seek Letters Patent for a new meritorious service award to recognise extraordinary service in the Antarctic region by Australian polar expeditioners, to be called the Australian Antarctic Medal.
Initial designs of the medal were drafted by Michael Tracey, but the Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee expressed some dissatisfaction with some of his design elements, and Stuart Devlin replaced him as designer. Stuart Devlin's final design was approved by the government on 21 January 1987.
On 2 June 1987, the Queen of Australia, Elizabeth II, issued Letters Patent instituting the Antarctic Medal.

Production delays

Although 16 inaugural awardees of the Antarctic Medal were announced on 22 June 1987, covering meritorious service as far back as 1981, extended production delays with the Antarctic Medal and its ribbon resulted in it taking two years before these medals were presented to them.

Re-naming and post-nominals

In 1993, the then Keating federal government established a Review of Australian Honours and Awards Committee, to make recommendations about the Australian honours and awards system. The committee delivered its report in 1995, and one of its recommendations was that the Antarctic Medal be re-named the Australian Antarctic Medal, and be granted the post-nominal AAM.
On 18 December 1997, the Queen of Australia, Elizabeth II, issued Letters Patent authorising the amendment of the original Letters Patent to change the designation of the Antarctic Medal to the Australian Antarctic Medal and authorised the use of the AAM post-nominal to those who had been awarded this medal.

Expansion of eligibility

Prior to 13 December 2011, the conditions for the award of the Australian Antarctic Medal were that, except in exceptional circumstances, only those who had accumulated 12 months or more in Antarctic climate and terrain conditions, and who had given outstanding service in scientific research or exploration, in the course of, or in connection with, an Australian Antarctic expedition were eligible to be considered for this meritorious award.
On 13 December 2011, the Queen of Australia, Elizabeth II, issued Letters Patent authorising the amendment of the original Letters Patent to allow eligibility for the Australian Antarctic Medal to be expanded so that persons representing an Australian agency or institution on foreign Antarctic expeditions could also be considered for this medal.

List of recipients

As at Midwinter's Day 2020, the Australian Antarctic Medal has been awarded 104 times to 103 individuals. In four cases the medal was awarded posthumously. Apart from its inaugural award, which occurred on 22 June 1987, it has always been awarded on Midwinter's Day, although in some years no awards have been made.
From 1987 to 1991, no short citation was given when the medal was awarded. From 1992 to 1997, the short citation For outstanding service in connection with Australian Antarctic expeditions was used. In 1998, the short citation For outstanding service in support of Australia's Antarctic Program was used. From 1999 to 2011 the short citation For outstanding service in support of Australian Antarctic expeditions was used. Generic short citations were replaced with individual short citations from 2012 until 2016, when short citations were no longer given.
The only awardee to have received the Australian Antarctic Medal twice is Graham Robertson.
The four posthumous awards made to date are to Howard Burton in 1994, Neil Adams in 2012, John Oakes in 2018, and Patrick Quilty in 2020.
Date awardedNamePost-nominalsDetailsNotes
For outstanding service as Senior Carpenter in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plant Inspector in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic exploration and in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Medical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Communications Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Carpenter in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Diesel Mechanic in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Cook in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Medical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Radio Technical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Voyage Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Carpenter in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Foreman in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Chef in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Chef in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Station Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plant Inspector in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Construction Services Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Station Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties as Medical Officer.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Technical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Medical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plant Inspector in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Carpenter in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of meteorological science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Electrical Works Supervisor in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Electrical Fitter in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plant Inspector in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Station Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Electrical Fitter in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Construction Foreman in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plant Inspector in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Helicopter Pilot in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic exploration and in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Chef in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Station Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Communications Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Electronic Engineer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Construction Foreman in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Trades Team Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as search and rescue team member in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as search and rescue team member in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as search and rescue team member in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Medical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Communication Technical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Communication Technical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plant Inspector in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Marine Science Support Manager in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Chef in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Bo'sun in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Aircraft Ground Support Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as the Wilkins Runway Construction Supervisor in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in position of Helicopter Pilot in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Master of the RSV Aurora Australis in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.
For continued outstanding research on seabird mortality in long line fisheries.
For outstanding contributions to the development of the science of Antarctic meterology.
For outstanding contributions to the theory and practice of polar medicine.
For outstanding contributions as Leader, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Oceans Program.
For outstanding service to the Australian Antarctic program as a crew member and Master of the RSV Aurora Australis.
For outstanding service to research into sea birds and the effect of commercial fishing operations on sea bird populations.
For outstanding service as Expedition Medical Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Electronics Engineer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Plumber in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Station Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Senior Pilot in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Fisheries Observer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Helicopter Pilot in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Field Training Officer in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Refuelling Supervisor in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service as Station Leader in support of science and general expedition duties.
For outstanding service in support of science and general expedition duties.
For his outstanding contribution to Antarctic science.
For outstanding service in Antarctic scientific research and in support of general expedition duties.