Two highly respected members of the geospatial community have been recognised with awards in the Australia Day 2026 Honours List.
John Manning has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the General Division, and Ken Sherwood has been awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM).
John Manning
Manning was awarded the AO for “distinguished service to surveying, mapping and geodesy, to research and education, and to international governance roles”.
His long career with Geoscience Australia — and its predecessor agencies AUSLIG and the Division of National Mapping — included holding positions such as Senior Surveyor in the Antarctica Mapping Section (1971-77), Supervising Surveyor in the Topographic Surveys and Technical Support Branch (1983-87), Manager of the Geodesy Program (1990-2003) and Program Leader of the Geospatial and Earth Monitoring Group (2003-04).
He has held senior and/or leadership positions or committee member roles within a range of organisations, such as the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping, the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans, the International Federation of Surveyors, the Mapping Sciences Institute and more.
Indeed, in a long and distinguished career, Manning has just about done it all, so it’s no wonder that he has accumulated a wealth of accolades and awards.
For instance, how many other people alive today can say they have four features in Antarctica named after them? (An island, a lagoon, a massif and a glacier.) There’s also a saddle in the NSW Southern Highlands that bears his name.
He is also the recipient of an award for mapping the Australian Antarctic Territory, the Polar Medal (silver) for being Australia’s wintering surveyor in Antarctica in the late 1960s, the President’s Medal from the Australian Institute of Cartographers, and the Phillip Law Medal from the ANARE Club (see the photo at the top of this page).
Ken Sherwood
Sherwood was awarded the PSM for “outstanding public service to the surveying industry in Queensland”.
Sherwood began his surveying career in 1989 after completing an Associate Diploma in Applied Science from the University of Southern Queensland, and later attaining postgraduate qualifications in survey practice and management.
He has spent the past 27 years working for the Queensland Government, initially as a surveyor in the Townsville office, then as Information Manager in 2005, Regional Manager in 2008, and in 2012 moving to the South Region to become responsible for the Lands portfolio. In 2021 he became Director of Surveys within what is now the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development.
Sherwood is well known for being devoted to the cause of inclusivity and equity within the surveying profession, particularly in Queensland, where fewer than 5% of surveyors are women. At last year’s combined FIG/LOCATE conference, he and Jemma Picco presented a paper on this very topic.
His PSM citation specifically mentions how he has “engaged in thoughtful dialogue with industry stakeholders, creating mentorship programs and fostering environments where women can flourish”.
“As a result, the industry has become more diverse, dynamic, and innovative. Within the Queensland Government, Mr Sherwood has led gender reform which included significant research and engagement with industry stakeholders to increase the number of female surveyors within the industry.”
The citation goes on to say that “Mr Sherwood is recognised nationally for his work in the surveying industry. By promoting the surveying profession, the public service as an employer of choice and providing clear pathways for women to succeed and by demonstrating a commitment to equal opportunity, Mr Sherwood encourages a more balanced, productive, and supportive industry environment, paving the way for future generations of women to excel and lead.”
Have we missed anyone? The Australia Day Honours List is long and complex and it’s entirely possible that, despite our best efforts, we might have overlooked one or more worthy recipients from within the wider geospatial community. If we have, please let us know.
