QUEENSLAND MUSEUM MEDALLISTS
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2012 – Professor Ronald Quinn AM
Prof Quinn is the Director of the Eskitis Institute at Griffith University and is recognised
for his pioneering work in the field of biodiscovery, turning chemicals from natural
products into potential pharmaceuticals. He was instrumental in creating Nature Bank,
a unique storehouse of chemical diversity derived from nature, of which Queensland
plants and marine invertebrates form the major part. This vast resource has been used
for research by global pharmaceutical companies and major international research
organisations.
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2011 – Dr John Stanisic
Dr Stanisic is Australia’s foremost expert on land snails, and during his position at the
Queensland Museum as Curator of Molluscs he was instrumental in increasing the
Museum’s collection of land snails by 190,000 specimens. He is an outstanding
exemplar of passion and commitment to increasing scientific knowledge, conserving
invertebrate biodiversity and promoting native fauna.
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2011 – Professor Peter Andrews AO
Professor Andrews is a bio-entrepreneur, the author of more than 100 publications and
an inventor on two patents. He was appointed as Queensland’s first Chief Scientist
from 2003 to 2010, and has made an extensive contribution to science as a pioneer of
Queensland’s thriving biotechnology sector.
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2010 – Dr John Hooper
Dr Hooper is the Head of Biodiversity and Geosciences at the Queensland Museum
and an international authority on marine sponges. He has described over 600 new
species, 10 new genera, and two new families and suborders of sponges. His
dedication to understanding the biodiversity of Queensland is invaluable.
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2010 – Sir David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough’s career as a naturalist is without peer, spanning more than half
a century. A respected broadcaster, he is known internationally as the face and voice of
natural history documentaries.
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2009 – Mr Michael Quinnell
Mr Quinnell is a highly respected researcher and anthropologist, whose activities have
played an important role in changing the relationships between museums and
Indigenous people in the Australasian region.
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2009 – Dr Carden Wallace
Dr Wallace is an internationally recognised expert on coral reefs, whose current
research focuses on the evolution and persistence of the corals of the Great Barrier
Reef and staghorn corals from around the world. Her contributions to the scientific
community, and drive for researching and understanding the natural world make her
one of Australia’s most valued scientists.
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2009 – Ms Anne Jones
Ms Jones was the Chair of the Queensland Museum for six years from 2002 to 2008,
during which she substantially furthered the development and reputation of the
Museum. Her work not only contributed to the Queensland Museum, but inspired and
benefited the wider community.
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2008 - Mr Vince O’Rourke AM
Mr O’Rourke was the last Commissioner of Railways and first Chief Executive Officer of
Queensland Rail, retiring from QR in December 2000. He has made outstanding
contributions to preserving Queensland’s rail heritage, in particular helping to establish
The Workshops Rail Museum, ensuring the State’s remarkable rail heritage lives on.
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2008 - Dr Steve Van Dyck
Dr Van Dyck is one of Australia’s most respected mammal biologists. A skilled sciencecommunicator, Dr Van Dyck has discovered various new mammal species, contributed
vastly to the Queensland Museum’s mammal collection and furthered the
understanding of our native fauna through his outstanding research.
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2007 - Dr Geoff Monteith
Dr Monteith’s prestigious career has been distinguished by his scientific research into
Australia’s insect fauna. His immense contribution to the scientific community and to
the Queensland Museum through exhibition development and public programs has
cemented him as one of Australia’s foremost naturalists.
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2007 - Mr Bill Kitson
Mr Kitson is one of Queensland’s most esteemed surveyors. Not only a skilled
practitioner of his profession, he is also an outstanding museum curator and historian,
having managed the Lands, Mapping and Surveying Museum for more than 26 years.
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2006 - Mr Bill O’Brien OBE
Mr O’Brien has been a member of the Cobb+Co Museum Advisory Committee since its
inception in November 1988 and chaired the Committee for 15 years. Through his
leadership and knowledge of local history he played a pivotal role in developing the
Museum into the dynamic showcase of the local Toowoomba area that it is today.
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2006 - The Elliott Family: Mr David Elliott, Mrs Judy Elliott, Mr Bob Elliott,
Ms Irene Elliott, Mr Harry Elliott, and Ms Koraleigh Elliott
The Elliott family discovered the remains of Australia’s largest known sauropod
dinosaur and have now developed the internationally recognised Australian Age of
Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History in Winton. Their leadership in the field of
palaeotourism continues to greatly benefit both the scientific and wider communities.
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2005 - Mr Bruce Campbell
2005 - Mrs Rae Sheridan
2005 - Mrs Nerolie Withnall
2004 - Dr Robert Anderson OAM
2004 - Dr Dan Robinson
2004 - Dr Lester Cannon
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2003 - Mr Steve Irwin
2003 - Ms Jeanette Covacevich
2000 - Dr Alan Bartholomai
2000 - Mr Keith McDonald
1999 - Mr Ian Venables
1997 - Mr John Lyons
1995 - Dr Mary Wade
1995 - Professor Don Nicklin
1995 - Dr Elwyn Hegarty
1993 - Dr Robert Paterson
1992 - Professor Colin Dobson
1992 - Mr Doug Traves OBE
1992 - Mr R.I. (Sam) Harrison MBE
1991 - Dr Patricia Mather AO
1990 - Mr I.G. Morris CMG
1990 - Mr J.C.H. Gill, AM MBE
1989 - Mr Leonard J. Taylor
1989 - Professor J.M. Thomson AM
1988 - Dr Valerie Davis
1988 - Mr Don Vernon
1988 - Mr Terry Tebble
1988 - Mr Jack Woods, ISO
1988 - Emeritus Prof. Syd Prentice
1988 - Mr F.S. Colliver, OBE
1987 - Dr Michael Archer