| New Zealand Antarctic Medal | |
| Presenter: | New Zealand |
| Type: | Medal |
| Eligibility: | for outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region; or in support of New Zealand’s objectives or operations, or both, in the Antarctic region. |
| Status: | Currently awarded |
| Description: | (Obverse) An effigy of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Ian Rank-Broadley with the inscription "Elizabeth II Queen of New Zealand"; (reverse) four emperor penguins on an Antarctic landscape with Mount Erebus in the background.[1] |
| Post-Nominals: | NZAM |
| Established: | 1 September 2006 |
| Firstawarded: | 30 December 2006 |
| Lastawarded: | 30 December 2023 |
| Total Awarded: | 19 as of 30 December 2023 |
| Total Awarded Posthumously: | 1 |
| Higher: | Queen's Service Medal (QSM) |
| Lower: | New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration (DSD) |
| Related: | Polar Medal |
The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was created 1 September 2006, as a New Zealand royal honour to replace the British Polar Medal.
The Polar Medal was instituted in 1904 and awarded to those who had made notable contributions to the exploration and knowledge of polar regions and who, in doing so, had undergone the hazards and rigors imposed by the polar environment to life and movement, whether by land, sea or air.
In 1995, the Prime Minister’s Honours Advisory Committee recommended that the Polar Medal should be created under a New Zealand royal warrant. It also recommended that it should be renamed as “The Antarctic Medal” to reflect the fact that it is in relation to Antarctica that New Zealand’s endeavors and achievements have been made. The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was formally instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on 1 September 2006.
The New Zealand Antarctic Medal may be awarded to those New Zealanders and other persons who either individually or as members of a New Zealand mission in the Antarctic region have made an outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region; or in support of New Zealand’s objectives or operations, or both, in the Antarctic region. The Medal will not be awarded for acts of bravery, for short-term acts of extreme endurance, for long service or for service in Antarctica generally.[2]
, 18 awards and one honorary award have been issued.[3] All recipients are entitled to the post-nominal letters NZAM.
| Name | Portrait | Date awarded | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center | 1 | John Bradshaw | 30 December 2006 | ||
| align=center | 2 | Clive Howard-Williams | 30 December 2006 | ||
| align=center | 3 | Karl Erb | 30 December 2006 | ||
| align=center | 4 | Fred Davey | 4 June 2007 | ||
| align=center | 5 | Timothy Haskell | 31 December 2007 | ||
| align=center | 6 | Peter Barrett | 31 December 2009 | ||
| align=center | 7 | David Harrowfield | 31 December 2009 | ||
| align=center | 8 | Tim Naish | 31 December 2009 | ||
| align=center | 9 | Alex Pyne | 31 December 2009 | ||
| align=center | 10 | Allan Green | 3 June 2013 | ||
| align=center | 11 | Baden Norris | 3 June 2013 | ||
| align=center | 12 | Lou Sanson | 31 December 2014 | ||
| align=center | 13 | Randal Heke | 5 June 2017 | ||
| align=center | 14 | Pat Langhorne | 31 December 2018 | ||
| align=center | 15 | Andrew Leachman | 31 December 2018 | ||
| align=center | 16 | Brian Fitzgerald | 31 December 2020 | ||
| align=center | 17 | Ian Hawes | 6 June 2022 | ||
| align=center | 18 | Nigel Watson | 31 December 2022 | ||
| align=center | 19 | Megan Balks | 30 December 2023 |