Alumni News: Winwood Howard - OAM recipient 2026
By Barbara Kiemski
On behalf of the Bishop Druitt College Alumni Association, I would like to offer a huge congratulations to Winwood Howard, who was recognised with an OAM as part of the King’s Birthday Honours for 2026. Win was a Bishop Druitt College Council Member from 1998 and then Chair of the BDC Council from 2004 until mid 2017. This medal is an incredible and extremely well-deserved accolade.
Win was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) - General Division in recognition of his distinguished service to the community through leadership, education, law, astronomy, church ministry, and charitable organisations.
His distinguished list of services reads as follows:
Service to Astronomy: as President, Coffs Harbour Astronomical Society from 2005-2026.
Service to the University of the Third Age (U3A), Coffs Harbour: as a committee member, President, and an astronomy tutor.
Service to Lifeline: Board Member of both Lifeline Australia and Lifeline North Coast.
Service to Education and Community Organisations: President and committee member of Coffs Harbour Education and Recreation Program (CHERP).
Service to Church Ministry: as a member of the Coffs Harbour Uniting Church Council and previous involvement in the Wesley Central Mission.
Service to Law and Legal Service: as Chair of the Council of Law Reporting for New South Wales and a variety of positions within the Law Society of NSW. He was employed as barrister and solicitor with firms including Minter Ellison and Perkins, Stevenson & Linton from 1957–1997.
A proud list of achievements, well recognised. You should be very proud, Win. We certainly are.
As we all gather and stand upon Country, may we acknowledge and respect Gumbaynggirr Land and the thousands of years’ worth of both physical and spiritual connection to Country, culture and teachings embedded forever within these Lands.