Australia Day 2020 Honours List: Central Coast recipients named
A dedication to outer space, entertainment, animal conservation, surf life saving, aged care and music has seen nine Central Coast residents named in the Australia Day 2020 Honours List.
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Wyoming’s Kerrie Dougherty can recall the exact time she fell in love with astronomy – and she was in a high chair.
“I was two and a half and we were listening to the radio news,” she told the Express.
“There was a story about a space probe showing the first pictures of the far side of the moon. The pictures were going to be broadcast on the television.
“The idea of getting the images from all the way up there to my TV was something my little brain latched onto and I wanted to know all about it.”
Since then Ms Dougherty has dedicated her life to space and has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her service to astronautical history as a curator.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” she said. “It’s nice to be recognised for something you have put a lot of effort into over the years.”
The space historian and writer was the space technology curator at the Powerhouse Museum from 1983-2014.
She said the role was initially cataloguing of the Sydney Observatory before she received the dream job as the space technology curator.
“The first main space exhibition took several years,” she said. “We had to build the collection from scratch and organise major international loans of material.”
When the original space exhibition opened in 1988 it was the first in the world to bring together space activities of the US, USSR and China.
“I really wanted to show that space exploration and activity was global. There are a lot of great museums overseas and what we did at the time was equal to all of them.”
Ms Dougherty has written many books, including Space Australia and Australia in Space, and “for fun” has co-written guides to Star Wars and Dr Who.
Ms Dougherty is currently a senior policy adviser at the Australian Space Agency where she shares her skills and knowledge in developing Australia’s space capabilities.
“We’re not NASA and we never will be but we intend to develop the Australian space industry that can be part of the global industry.”
Ms Dougherty, who has also held positions with the International Academy of Astronautics and lectures for the International Space University, said her dream is to see a Mars landing.
“I was 12 when we landed on the Moon, I don’t want to have to wait too much longer before we get to Mars,” she said.
Other Australia Day Honour recipients include:
Christopher Richard Cox, of East Gosford
Awarded an OAM for services to the performing arts and the community. A past president of Gosford Musical Society and director of Youth in Performing Arts for many years Mr Cox is also an active member of the Gosford State Emergency Services (SES) unit and a past treasurer of the Central Coast Referees Association.
Dr Dedee Daryl Woodside, of Umina Beach
Appointed to the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to animal conservation and zoos. A director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia, Dr Woodside has held many national advisory roles including being a founding committee member of the Australian Zoos and Aquariums Association in 1986. Dr Woodside was the director and general manager of Taronga and Western Plains Zoo from 1985-2000 and awarded as a Lifetime Honorary National Parks Warden, Ugandan Government and Presidential recognition for Ngamba Sanctuary.
John Sydney Wareham, of Springfield
Awarded an OAM for services to aged welfare and the community. Mr Wareham was a co-founder, tour organiser and later life member of Touring Old Farts Inc, a non-profit group which organises regular activities to promote the health and wellbeing of retired or semi-retired men. He has also been the national president of the Australian Association of Men Barbershop Singers and was a founding member of the Manly-Warringah Philatelic (Stamp) Society.
David Kevin Booth, of Kincumber
Awarded an OAM for services to the community of Gosford. Booths Motor Group’s principal Hyundai dealer since 2004, Mr Booth sits on a number of Hyundai committees including the National Hyundai Dealer Council. Mr Booth is a life member of Gosford Musical Society, life member of the Gosford High School P&C and a player/sponsor of Gosford Rugby Club (1983-90) and East Gosford Football Club.
Andrew Paul Hoban, of Avoca Beach
Awarded an OAM for service to surf lifesaving. A member of Avoca Beach SLSC since 1960 Mr Hoban has been an instructor for 50 years, a past president, vice president and branch delegate. He was made a life member of the club in 1991. He was the inaugural president of the Avoca Beach Rugby Club in 1975 and remains a life member and patron.
Anthony Lester Pearson, of Fountaindale, was awarded an OAM for services to youth and the community of Gosford. Mr Pearson has been the chairman of Save Our Kids Suicide Prevention Program (SOKS) since 2013 and has held many roles within Gosford North Rotary Club including president and vice president. He was also a volunteer with the Apex Club of Gosford from 1983-93.
Margaret Rose Pearce, of Tuggerawong
Awarded an OAM for service to the community of East Gosford. A member of Lions Club International for 21 years, Ms Pearce was District Governor from 2014-15 and was the Charter President of the Wyoming/ East Gosford/Centennial Lions Club. Ms Pearce is also one of the driving forces behind a push to establish a stand-alone hospice on the Central Coast.
Dennis James Gee, of Terrigal
Awarded an OAM for service to surf lifesaving. Starting as a member with The Entrance SLSC in 1954 Mr Gee joined Avoca SLSC in 1967 where he held several roles including board captain, boat captain and club captain before he became a life member in 1984. He joined Terrigal SLSC in 2008 and was boat captain and coach until last year.
Carter Edwards, of Canton Beach
Awarded an OAM for service to broadcast media and in particular radio. The host of The Carter Edwards Show on 2SM Super Radio Network since 1986, Mr Edwards has been a volunteer and later life member of the Breakaway Program and was an inductee of the Australian Country Music Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005. He was also given a Clio Award for the “best TV commercial for home improvement” for the Taubman’s paint ad featuring him singing “I Did It My Way” in 1978.
Central Coast Australia Day Ambassador
Meanwhile, Central Coast Rural Fire Service District Superintendent Viki Campbell has been named the Central Coast Australia Day Ambassador.
Central Coast Council announce the Ms Campbell as the ambassador for her “tireless work in the emergency response field”.
Ms Campbell, appointment by the NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner, was the Incident Controller for the recent bushfire emergency on the Central Coast.
Her service within emergency response organisations has spanned 30 years with the NSW RFS and NSW Ambulance.
She is currently responsible for the overall co-ordination of RFS firefighting capability and bushfire risk management across the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie local government area’s. This incorporates 57 brigades, 20 staff and over 2,300 volunteer members.
Ms Campbell also volunteers as president for the caves rescue squad.