Congratulations to ORCV member Trevor Huggard AM on his Member of the Order of Australia award in the 2015 Australia Day Honours list.
Most Victorian sailors will recognise Trevor as a regular ORCV race participant with YOKO since 1982 as a capable and competitive Yacht Navigator for sailing campaigns. As a councillor Trevor was active in the Melbourne City Council and also supporting the Melbourne to Hobart Westcoast yacht race especially in connection with good friends in Tasmania and notably the Lord Mayor of Hobart and Tasmanian Government personalities. The relationship between the two cities developed with significant organisational progress in terms of the races between the two states in subsequent years with the provision of the Melbourne City Council trophy in 1984 for the Westcoaster.
About this time Trevor was involved with the sister city relationship of Melbourne and Osaka, Japan and organisation of the Melbourne to Osaka Double-Handed yacht race celebrating the Osaka Port 120th Anniversary. The first race in 1987 attracted nearly 100 entries of many nations. His efforts were voluntary and near full time with Japanese visitors and representations in Japan along with Melbourne City Council activities. Victorian Government identities and agencies were also hosted by Trevor at various yachting events of new initiatives such as the Three Ports Premiers trophy in 1985 and Captain of the Melbourne City Council team in the Westcoast race of 1989.
By 1987 Melbourne’s ‘sailing Lord Mayor’ was a member of the Sovereign Series of Yacht Races committee which also included the Lord Mayor of Hobart and by 1991 became chairman of that committee responsible for the Christmas races for Victorians and neighbouring states. He was active in promoting the Bicentennial Hobart to Sydney Tall Ships race participating with naval trainees in the crew.
Further Melbourne to Osaka yacht races have been held in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007, all of which he has been heavily involved with and working tirelessly with Melbourne City Council, his contacts in Japan and the yachting community. For the 2013 Melbourne to Osaka event, Trevor liased with Melbourne City Council advising ORCV on requirements for ORCV to conduct the race in conjunction with SYC and Hokko yacht clubs. There have been many other international events he has participated in including Melbourne to Vanuatu, Brisbane to Honiara, Capetown to Rio and Australian East Coast NSW & Queensland all the time applying his knowledge and ability with promotion and organization skills to the benefit of the yachting community.
Having just completed his 34th Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster, a record which will surely never be surpassed. He is currently and has for some time contributed to the community as chairman of Seaworks Maritime Precinct in Williamstown.
Biographical notes for each recipient of the Australia Day 2015 Honours List are listed on the Australian Governor General's website. Select the "Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia (A-L)" link and scroll down to page 47.
