There is a process for creating a new honour or award in the Australian honours system. Once The King has given in-principle agreement for a new honour, a new award can be designed and made.
There are a number of steps in the process of creating a new honour or award before the medal can be designed and made.
The medal and ribbons are designed as part of the process.
Designing the medals
The medal and ribbon for an award are designed once The King has given in-principle agreement for a new honour in the Australian honours system.
The designer’s task is to capture the significance, or the essence, of the award in the medal design.
The medal designer may be from a creative agency like Balarinji Design Studio or from an organisation involved in the award’s creation.
This website and the downloadable fact sheets have information on the medal and ribbon design for all the awards in the Australian system of honours. You can see a full list of awards and read more about them at List of Australian honours.
Making the medals
The Honours Secretariat at Government House in Canberra and the Department of Defence are responsible for the minting of approved medal designs.
Famous designers – Stuart Devlin
Stuart Devlin was a specialist gold and silversmith. He was born in Geelong, Victoria in 1931 but his craft eventually took him to London.
In 1982, he was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment as Goldsmith and Jeweller to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Stuart Devlin designed the medals for the founding awards of the Australian honours system in 1975: the Order of Australia, the Australian Bravery Decorations and the National Medal.
He also designed Australia’s first decimal coins.
Famous Designers – Balarinji Design Studio
Balarinji Design Studio in Sydney designed the medals for the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal and the Centenary Medal.
Balarinji is Australia’s leading Indigenous art and design studio well-known for its designs on the QANTAS 747-400 aircraft Wunala (kangaroo) Dreaming. In 2022, they were engaged by Austrade to create Australia’s National Brand.
Dr John Kundereri Moriarty AM is Chairman and Head of Design at Balarinji and a full member of the Yanyuwa people of his birthplace.