ORDER OF AUSTRALIA
HUNTER REGIONAL GROUP
Australian Honours and Awards System
The Order of Australia was established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, on the advice of then Australian Prime Minister, The Honourable Gough Whitlam.
The Order is an Australian Honours system recognising Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or meritorious service. Prior to 1975, Australians were recognised under the British Honours system, known as Imperial Awards.
Queen Elizabeth was the Sovereign Head of the Order of Australia until her death in 2023, when King Charles assumed the Sovereign Head role. The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the Principal Companion and Patron, charged with the administration of the Order.
Most Order of Australia appointments are to the General Division of the Order of Australia:
Companion (AC); Officer (AO); Member (AM); Medal of the Order (OAM).
The ribbon is royal blue silk with a central band of scattered golden wattle blossoms.
There is a Military Division to which members of the Defence Forces are eligible to be appointed. The Military Division is differentiated by the addition of a narrow gold band at each edge of the ribbon.