The Australasian hydrographic community is mourning the loss of one of its leading lights, with the passing of Dr Peter Knight.

Dr Knight spent more than four decades as a hydrographer, originally in his home country Canada but then mostly in New Zealand.

In 1997 he became a lecturer in hydrography in the University of Otago’s School of Surveying, going on to play a major role in hydrographic education in the country.

This included establishing the internationally recognised IHO Category A Programme in Hydrographic Surveying.

He was also a founding member of the New Zealand Branch of the Australasian Hydrographic Society (AHS) in 1998 and served for 16 years in various roles — chairman, secretary, committee member and conference organiser — and as the long-serving editor of the Branch’s newsletter, Boustrophedon.

He also became editor of Survey and Spatial New Zealand’s (S+SNZ) journal, The New Zealand Surveyor.

Dr Knight was recognised with the AHS Award for Education in 2005 for his work establishing the Category A Programme, and the AHS Order of Merit in 2016 for outstanding service to the Society.

According to S+SNZ, “Peter will be remembered for his generosity, humility, and encouragement of those entering the profession… His contribution to New Zealand’s surveying and hydrographic professions leaves a lasting legacy that will be remembered with gratitude and respect.”