Winners of the 2017 Australian Geographic Society Awards

By AG Staff November 1, 2017
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Those daring individuals pursuing adventure in the name of conservation are the big winners of this year’s prestigious Australian Geographic Society Awards, with the official ceremony to be held tonight at the Sofitel Wentworth Grand Ballroom in Sydney.

YOUNG ENGINEERING student Sam Mitchell is the 2017 Young Adevnturer of the Year, after completing the traverse of Australia’s most challenging four-wheel-drive track, the 1850km Canning Stock Route, in WA, on an electric ‘fat bike’. The resourceful engineering student towed a trailer he whipped up from an old trampoline on which he’d mounted solar panels and a battery.

Another young achiever, 24-year-old Madison Stewart takes home the Young Conservationist of the Year award for her determination to reconnect humans with the ocean and save sharks. Most recently, Madison featured alongside Valerie Taylor in the landmark new documentary Blue, which explores a host of threats to our world’s oceans.

Long-time advernture, Jon Muir has been officially recognised for his expeditions that have spanned decades making him a worthy recipient of this year’s Lifetime of Adventure award. From making the first unsupported ascent of Everest in 1988, to his trek to the North Pole in 2000, to his 6000km ocean traverse by sea kayak, Jon is arguably one of the most experienced adventurers in Australian history. 

Curt and Mich Jenner, have also been honoured for their long careers in marine biology by receiving the Lifetime of Conservation. Curt and Mich Jenner head up the Centre for Whale Research in WA and, between them, have studied everything about whales, from population biology and migratory pathways to the ecology and behaviours of whales. 

And record-breaking yachtswoman Lisa Blair has been awarded the Spirit of Adventure award after becoming the first woman to sail solo and unassisted around Antarctica.

The AG Society Gala Awards are Australia’s longest-running awards celebrating adventure (and now conservation), founded by the Australian Geographic Society in 1987. Each year through grants, fundraisers and sponsorships, the Society gives in excess of $300,000 to Australian conservation and adventure efforts.

Previous high-profile winners of the AG Awards include Bindi Irwin, Tim Jarvis, Bob Brown and Jade Hameister.

The full list of the 2017 Australian Geographic Society Gala Award winners is below. Click on the winners’ names for more about them:

Lifetime of Adventure

Jon Muir

Sponsored by APT

Lifetime of Conservation

Curt and Mich Jenner

Adventurer of the Year

Sandy Robson

Conservationist of the Year

Natalie Isaacs

Young Adventurer of the Year

Sam Mitchell

Sponsored by World Expeditions

Young Conservationist of the Year

Madison Stewart

Spirit of Adventure

Lisa Blair

Sponsored by Bremont

Congratulations to all the winners! 

And thank you to the sponsors of the AG Society Awards: