Awards of Honour

Australian Banana Industry Awards

ABGC Awards of Honour have been provided at every Banana Industry Congress since the initial one in 1995.

In 2021, the ABGC Board introduced the Future Farming Award, recognising outstanding achievement in Banana Best Management Practice.  

Here, you’ll find all past recipients. 

You will note that ABGC does not give the award to the same person twice.

2021

Awards of Honour

Grower Awards:

  • Peter and Franziska Inderbitzin
  • Dennis Howe

Non Grower Awards:

  • Jeff Daniells 

Future Farming Award 

  • Gavin Devaney 

2019 

Grower Awards: 

  • Peter Molenaar
  • Stephen and Gavin Mackay

Non Grower awards:

  • Ian Liddle
  • Les Blennerhassett

2017

Grower Award:

  • Doug Phillips 

2015 

Life Membership:

  • Pat Leahy

Grower award:                 

  • Cameron Mackay

Non growers:                    

  • David Peasley and Stewart Lindsay

2013* 

Grower award:                 

  • Mark Nucifora

Non growers:                    

  • Tony Heidrich (former ABGC CEO) and Senator Ron Boswell

*From Congress 2013 the ABGC Board changed the ABGC Award process, to limit the number of grower and non-grower recipients. Also, Life Membership was to be awarded only on rare occasions.

2011 

  • Des Rackley 
  • Bob Brighton 
  • Greg Vuleta
  • Ken Larsson 
  • Jim Voisey
  • Gerry Van den Broek
  • Tom Day 

2009

  • David Pike
  • Mark Spagnolo and Judy Spagnolo
  • Patrick Leahy
  • Lou Lardi
  • Vicky Kippin-O’Connor, Chair of Freshcare
  • Peter Allen, General Manager, Technical Capability Visy Packing

2007 

Life Membership:

  • Len Collins 

Awards:

  • John Mackay, Qld
  • John Horsford, Qld
  • Bruce Munro, WA
  • Wayne McFie, NSW

2005

  • Margaret Day
  • Gary McCudden
  • Ross Boyle
  • Dr Warren Hoey

2003 

  • Ron Gray
  • Georgette Everingham
  • Ted Blanch
  • Mort Johnston 

2001 

  • Len Collins
  • Mal Bakon
  • Bill Nelson (posthumously) 
  • John Pascalis
  • Ron Peterson
  • John Robinson
  • Brian Sandercock 

1999 

  • Pat LaManna
  • Don Anderson
  • George Larsen
  • Trevor Miller 
  • Howard Pilgrim 

1997 

  • Ted Ovens
  • Ken Pegg
  • Robert Mackay (Mackay Estates) 

1995

  • Jack McNish
  • Ray Kratz
  • Ray Everingham
  • Jim Dobson
  • Ron May
  • Les McGrath (accepted by Bill Stainlay)