NATSAR Award and Commendation recipients
Statement from the Chair of the National Search and Rescue Council of Australia
Australia has one of the largest search and rescue regions in the world. Our search and rescue response system is a network of collaborative relationships, and formal arrangements between professionals and volunteer organisations. What unites them all is a sense of community and a desire to help one another in times of need. It is this ethos that was embodied by all nominees and recipients of the 2024 Australian Search and Rescue Awards. As the Chair of the National Search and Rescue Council of Australia, I would like to further acknowledge the efforts of others who were not nominated for awards, but assisted in saving lives nonetheless.
This included members of the local community during the Wedderburn floods, who we have heard placed their own safety at risk to save the lives of others. Whenever disaster strikes in this country, it is without fail that our communities come together to assist those at risk of harm. We would encourage these stories to be shared with the council in future years through nominations for the non-professional category of the awards, which recognises the contributions of ordinary people in these extraordinary moments.
Mark Morrow
Chair of the National Search and Rescue Council of Australia
2024 recipients
AMSA CEO Kaylene Dale presented the 2024 Search and Rescue Awards on 17 October at Manly, Sydney, NSW.
Professional search and rescue category
Award: Victoria Police Search and Rescue Squad: Sergeant Mark Braun, Senior Constable Steve Ellis, Senior Constable Rhys Newsome, Senior Constable Simeon Ranick, Senior Constable William Scott – in recognition of extremely challenging search and rescue efforts on Mount Bogong in August 2019. Note: Recognition of this incident has been necessarily delayed by related coronial proceedings.
Commendation (joint awardees):
- Victoria Water Police: Sergeant David McHenry, Leading Senior Constable Dean Leicester, Leading Senior Constable Christian Airey – for their rescue of the crew of a pilot vessel in distress off Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Bay in October 2023.
- AMSA Response Centre: Peter Myers, Andrew Johnson, Peter Welch, Stephen Cross, Dion Curtis and Clare Draper from AMSA – for their coordination of the rescue of 2 pilots from a light aircraft that ditched in the ocean off the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, in 2023.
Professional volunteer category
Award: Marong SES Swift Water Rescue crew Vic: Chantelle Stronghilis, Peter Johnstone, Steve Goudie, James Plowright, Trent Knight – in recognition of their extraordinary efforts during the Wedderburn floods in January 2024.
Commendation: Marine Rescue Port Macquarie, NSW: Leonard Smart, Robert Britten, David Withers, Warren Gowing, Bruce Lee, Michael Ranson-Smith, Brooke Mason, Ian Pascoe - for their rescue of 2 crew from a stricken sailing vessel in strong winds and heavy seas off Port Macquarie, in October 2023.
Non-professional search and rescue category
Award: Tosh Nottle, Alek Nowak and Matthew Thorburn, Jansz Beach, WA – for their successful efforts saving people from dangerous surf conditions near Exmouth in June 2024.
Commendation: Charlotte Blake, Wilderness Ranger, Parks Tasmania - for outstanding efforts in the assistance of 7 hikers in difficult, remote alpine wilderness on Western Arthur’s Track in December 2023.
Long-standing contribution to search and rescue category
Award: Senior Sergeant Michael Gillies, Tasmania Police – in recognition of his long-term commitment, dedication and passion for search and rescue work throughout Tasmania, since 1993.
Commendation: Senior Sergeant Michael Potts, NT Police – for his outstanding contribution to search and rescue, coupled with leadership, innovation and professionalism.
Photos
Top row, left: Professional Award – Vic Police SAR Squad, Senior Constable Steve Ellis, Senior Constable Rhys Newsome
Top row, middle: Professional Volunteer Award - Marong SES Swift Water Rescue Crew, Chantelle Stronghilis, Peter Johnstone, Steve Goudie, James Plowright, Trent Knight
Top row, right: Non-professional Award – Alek Nowak, Matthew Thorburn
Middle row, left: Long Standing Contribution to Search and Rescue Award – Tasmania Police, Senior Sergeant Michael Gillies
Middle row, middle: Professional Commendation (joint) – AMSA Search and Rescue Officer, Dion Curtis, AMSA Senior Search and Rescue Officer Peter Myers
Middle row, right: Professional Commendation (joint) – Vic Water Police, Leading Senior Constable Dean Leicester, Leading Senior Constable Christian Airey
Bottom row, left: Professional Volunteer Commendation – Port Macquarie Marine Rescue NSW, Robert Britten, Leonard Smart
Bottom row, middle: Non-professional Commendation – Tasmanian Wilderness Ranger, Charlotte Blake
Bottom row, right: Long Standing Contribution to Search and Rescue Commendation – NT Police – Senior Sergeant Michael Potts
2023 recipients
AMSA CEO Mick Kinley presented the 2023 awards on 19 October at Salamanca Inn, Hobart, Tasmania.
Professional search and rescue category
Award: NSW Marine and Area Command Launch Nemesis crew in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to the search and rescue of 2 men from sailing vessel AVIVA in September 2022: Senior Sergeant Michael Hrnjak, Sergeant Ryan Spong, Sergeant Clint Brown, Sergeant Iain Houlford, Sergeant Michael Morris, Sergeant Joshua Lisle, Leading Senior Constable Bruce Tape, Leading Senior Constable Brendan Nix, Senior Constable Hayley Upton and Senior Constable Lincoln Kilpatrick.
Commendation: AFP Maritime, Air Support and Search and Rescue teams in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to an extremely difficult search and rescue from Kambah Pool on 20 September 2022: Sergeant Elizabeth Swain, Sergeant Reginald Dwyer, a/Sergeant Andrew Craig, Leading Senior Constable Ewen Locke, Leading Senior Constable Benjamin Cox, Leading Senior Constable Allan Bell.
Non-professional search and rescue category
Award: Luke William Baldock, in recognition of his extraordinary search and rescue efforts off the Western Australian south coast on the morning of 5 March 2023.
Commendation: Haylee O'Connell, in recognition of her extraordinary search for Corey O’Connell.
Long-standing contribution to search and rescue category
Award: Sergeant Damian Anthony Bidgood, in recognition of his unwavering dedication, leadership and professionalism during a long-standing contribution to search and rescue in Tasmania.
Commendation: Jeffrey Ronald Caldwell, in recognition of his extraordinary contribution and dedication to search and rescue with Volunteer Marine Rescue Gladstone.
Photos
Top left: Mick Kinley, Sergeant Ryan Spong, Leading Senior Constable Bruce Tape and Senior Constable Hayley Upton
Top centre: Mick Kinley and Luke Baldock
Top right: Mick Kinley and Sergeant Damian Bidgood
Bottom left: Mick Kinley, Leading Senior Constable Benjamin Cox, Sergeant Reginald Dwyer, Leading Senior Constable Ewen Locke
Bottom centre: Mick Kinley and Haylee O’Connell
Bottom right: Mick Kinley and Jeffrey Caldwell
Professional search and rescue category
Award: Australian Federal Police Search and Rescue Team (ACT), Senior Constable Paul Yates, Senior Constable Peter Ibbott and Sergeant Andrew Craig, for the rescue of 3 runners from Namadgi National Park.
Commendation: NSW Police Rescue Officers Sergeant Dallas Atkinson, Senior Constable Casson Levy and Senior Constable Stephen Booth and NSW Ambulance Paramedic Specialists David Ipsen and Jen Campbell, for the rescue of 3 people from a rockfall.
Non-professional search and rescue category
Award: Maxime Jond, who performed a selfless act of heroism at a Princeton beach in Victoria on New Year’s Day, saving the life of a swimmer caught in a dangerous rip.
Long-standing contribution to search and rescue category
Award: Jim Whitehead, Queensland Police Service, a retired 42-year veteran of the Queensland Police Service and search and rescue specialist, who successfully coordinated thousands of operations saving hundreds of lives.
Commendation: Constable Dean Wotherspoon, Tasmania Search and Rescue squad with 25 years’ service.
Professional search and rescue category
Award: NSW Police Dive Unit Senior Sergeant Raymond Busby, Sergeant Josh Lisle, Sergeant Steven Wye, Senior Constable Tim Boardman, Senior Constable Ryan Good for retrieving 2 deceased people from a remote canyon.
Commendation: NSW Police Marine Area Command Sergeant Tony Hogg, Senior Constable Matthew Gray, Senior Constable Nicholas Leach, for the rescue of a yacht north-east of Sydney.
Non-professional search and rescue category
Award: Andrew Peter Coronis and Samuel Michael Coronis, for the rescue of 2 people in distress while out on their fishing vessel.
Commendation: Captain Rohit Upadhyay, Chief Officer Santosh Kumar and the crew of the ship Godam, for rescuing 2 people in the Torres Strait.
Long-standing contribution to search and rescue category
Award: Southport Volunteer Marine Rescue.
Commendation: Mr Francis Egan, Volunteer Coast Guard.
2020 recipients
Professional search and rescue category
Award: Western Australian search and rescue dive team. Team members: Sergeant Bradley Bell, Senior Constable Alan Trist, Senior Constable Christopher Jacob, Senior Constable Luke McCulloch, Ashley Skinner (Esperance Marine Rescue), David Macmahon (Esperance Surf Life Saving), Jacob Oversby (Esperance Surf Life Saving), for multiple search and rescue operations.
Commendation: ‘Westpac 1’ Rescue Helicopter Crew. Team members: Graeme Anderson (Helicopter Pilot), Sean Flanagan (Air Crewman Officer), Sean Vallance (NSW Ambulance paramedic), Tim Starkey (NSW Health Doctor), for the rescue of 2 people.
Long-standing contribution to search and rescue category
Award: William (Bill) Folder, Tasmanian State Emergency Service.
Commendation: Tony Clitheroe, Rockingham Volunteer Marine Rescue, WA.