The Garner Family Award

Eric Garner is an alumnus of three universities: Melbourne (Civil Engineering), Monash (Business Administration) and Deakin (Commercial Law).  He has been employed in the resources sector, both in Australia and overseas, for over 60 years. He has specialised in project development and implementation with Australian and international engineering and construction companies, in both technical and managerial roles. He worked in senior and responsible positions on two iron ore projects in WA and in gold projects in WA and the NT during the mining boom. As one of AUSTMINE's early chairmen, he took part in numerous trade missions representing both government and private industry, promoting the exports of the Australian mining services sector. For this work, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, his citation stating 'for services to the resources industry and to international trade'.

Relinquishing routine roles in his work environment, Eric managed three major international multi-year aid projects: a World Bank-funded coal development project in Indonesia, a large low-grade coal development project in Thailand, and the Mine Safety Project in India, both of which were AIDAB-funded. He has been an AusIMM member for over 35 years, serving a term as a councillor representing overseas members. He played a key role in the 1995 By-Law and Royal Charter revisions, and in 2004 was awarded the Institute's 'Beryl Jacka' Award. He chaired two important committees, Membership Applications and Compliance (complaints), each for about 10 years, and in 2009, his contributions were further recognised when he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute.

Noelle Garner is a double-certified trained nurse (training at the Alfred and Women's Hospitals in Melbourne). Following her training, she nursed in a country Victorian hospital and worked as an assistant to company doctors in Nigeria (for the Shell Company). She returned to the Alfred in the 1970s, where she was a senior nurse in the specialist neurosurgical unit and in the staff clinic. Having spent an appreciable time living in remote mining communities, she became a member of the Victorian Women's Auxiliary of the AusIMM.  Before the VWA was wound up due to declining membership in 2014, she served as Honorary Secretary for about 25 years. Her association with and commitment to mining complement Eric's career in the industry.