Marine Rescue Middle Harbour member and former Unit Commander, Anthony “Tony” Whybrow, RFD is one of four Marine Rescue NSW volunteers recognised on the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours List as recipients of the Emergency Services Medal.
Botany Port Hacking Coxswain and Search and Rescue Support Officer, Ian Baker; Regional Director and former Forster Tuncurry Deputy Unit Commander, Roman (Ray) Mazurek; and Batemans Bay unit Life Member, Colin Tritton, were also awarded the ESM.
The medals were presented by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC during an Investiture Ceremony at Government House Sydney on Tuesday 17 September, 2024.
Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Alex Barrell said the service is privileged to have such highly regarded volunteers in the ranks.
“Their dedication and commitment to serving local boaters and those who enjoy our waterways is appreciated by Marine Rescue NSW and their respective communities.
“All four recipients are extremely experienced mariners holding either Coxswain or vessel Master ratings and share a wealth of knowledge with their fellow volunteers.
“Our volunteers sacrifice personal and family time to help boaters in distress at any time of day or night to help keep our waterways as safe as possible and I thank all of them for their commitment to service and saving lives on the water,” Commissioner Barrell said.
Tony remains a very active member of Marine Rescue Middle Harbour. He joined the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol (RVCP), an antecedent of Marine Rescue NSW (MRNSW) in 2003. He was appointed as the Divisional Commander for Sydney of RVCP in 2009. Mr Whybrow became Unit Commander of the Middle Harbour unit under the MRNSW flag in 2010.
During his command, Mr Whybrow also took on the role of Training Officer and assisted unit members with requalifying their rating in accordance with new qualification requirements. He remains in a training role today.
Apart from continuing to be operational as a Marine Rescue NSW vessel Master of the unit’s largest rescue vessel, Mr Whybrow is also the unit’s Training Systems Officer. Mr Whybrow has mentored many senior Marine Rescue NSW members not only within the Middle Harbour unit but also across the Greater Sydney region and beyond.
Mr Whybrow has spent hundreds of hour’s at sea conducting search and rescue efforts in company with other Marine Rescue NSW and Marine Area Command vessels, often in deteriorating conditions. During his extensive service with MRNSW, Mr Whybrow has demonstrated a distinguished and exemplary commitment to public service and to the Marine Rescue NSW mission of saving lives on the water.
Click to find out more about the Emergency Services Medal
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