- Jill Garner - Victorian Government Architect
- Paul Memmott - Architect and Anthropologist
- Michael Buxton - Property Developer and art philanthropist
- Heather and Neil Barrett - Sustainable Urban Designers
Two architects, two urban designers and a property developer are amongst those who have recently received Australia Day honours.
Much of the media attention surrounding the Australia Day Honours focused on Margaret Court controversial appointment as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), along with Kerry O’Brien turning down the honour of an Officer of the Order and Malcolm Turnbull receiving the AC.
However, there are 570 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia from all walks of life and The Property Tribune has come across five such individuals relevant to the industries we cover.
Jill Garner
Ms Garner, a Victorian government architect, received the Order of Australia for, “significant service to architecture, to professional associations, and to education.” She has been the Victorian Government architect since 2015 and her practice Garner Davis Architect has won many awards for their public work and private designs.
Paul Memmott
Professor Memmott, from the University of Queensland, received an Order of Australia for “distinguished service to ethno-architecture and anthropology, to Indigenous housing and cultural heritage, and to tertiary education.” He has been the long-term Director for Aboriginal Environments Research Centre at the University and has over 300 publications to his name – including 11 books. Notably, he was the first full-time architectural-anthropological consultant in Australia.
Michael Buxton
Mr Buxton, a property developer from Victoria, received his Order of Australia for “significant service to the visual arts, and to the property development sector.” His firm MAB Corporation is involved in wide range of property development including in “communities, residential, business perks, retail, commercial as well as investment management business.” He is also well known in the Arts community for his personal collection and philanthropic efforts in this area, which includes a $26 million donation for contemporary art to the University of Melbourne.
Heather and Neil Barrett
Mr and Mrs Barret both received an Order of Australia for “service to sustainable urban design, and to environmental conservation.” They both established The Hub Foundation in Castlemaine which has many projects under it belt, including the Mount Alexander Solar Homes project which almost doubled the penetration of solar panels in Mount Alexander during the first four years of operations. They are also developing the Paddock Eco Village, which will feature 27 homes and is due for completion this year.
