Six new recipients were inducted today onto the ACT Honour Walk, acknowledging “their varied and vast contributions to Canberra”, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.

This year’s Honour Walk recipients are:

1. Olive Brown (1945–93): An advocate for Aboriginal health services in Canberra. She was a founder of the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Services, which started as a temporary medical service at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.
2. Companion House: Companion House works with refugees who have sought safety in Australia from persecution, torture, and war-related trauma. Companion House provides primary healthcare and counselling services.
3. Sue Salthouse AM (1949–2020): A disability advocate, ACT Senior Woman of the Year, and Canberra Citizen of the Year, she dedicated the last 25 years of her life to breaking down barriers for people with disability, women, and victims of domestic violence. She was committed to social justice and creating a more inclusive community.
4. Professor Mike Gore AO (1934–2022): The founder and driving force behind Questacon. From its humble beginnings at the old Ainslie Primary School in 1982 to opening in the Parliamentary Triangle in 1988, his work with Questacon has impacted generations of school children. He is recognised for his service to science through public outreach, communication, and education initiatives on a national and international level.
5. Peter Cursley: Peter Cursley established the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation in 1995 after the death of his baby daughter, and has since raised $6 million to support neonatal care in the ACT and local surrounds. The Foundation has provided funding for nursing staff, education, and research, along with lifesaving medical equipment. Mr Cursley was the 2016 Australian of the Year ACT.
6. Dr Allan Hawke AC (1948–2022): A senior public servant and diplomat: Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Paul Keating; Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Transport and Regional Services, and the Department of Defence; High Commissioner to New Zealand; and Chancellor of the Australian National University. He is recognised for his influence on Canberra as a pillar of the public service, and his contribution to the community as patron and chair of numerous local and national organisations.

The Honour Walk, commissioned in 2005, commemorates individuals and groups who have made enduring contributions to our community. It is in Ainslie Place, between London Circuit and the Canberra Times Fountain outside the Canberra Centre.

Since the ACT Honour Walk was established in 2005, more than 80 recipients have been inducted, including Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin, the Canberra Philharmonic Society, Lauren Jackson, and the Brumbies.

“Each recipient is a testimony to the generous and innovative spirit of Canberrans and their ongoing contributions that make our city so special,” Mr Barr said.

Any person or group who has played a leading role in shaping the city of Canberra is eligible for recognition on the ACT Honour Walk. Nominations are open year-round at www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/communication/act-honour-walk.