Editors Victoria is delighted that one of our Honorary Life Members, Vane Lindesay, has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) as part of the 2023 Australia Day Honours for service to literature as a cartoonist, illustrator and writer.
Vane is patron of the Australian Cartoonists Association, has authored at least 18 books on Australian cartooning and is recognised as the leading historian of cartooning in Australia. He has won many awards for his book designs as well as his cartoons. His cartoons and essays on cartooning have been published in (among others) the Age, Inkspot, Overland (for which he was design editor for many years), the Australian Book Review and the Bulletin.
At 102 years of age, he made news for being this year’s oldest recipient.
Vane was made an Editors Victoria HLM in 1989. Some members may remember him hosting the Victorian Society of Editors AGMs around this time.
In another recognition for the Victorian literary scene, this year’s Australia Day awards also honoured La Trobe Emeritus Professor and former editor of Meanjin Judith Brett with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to education and public debate, particularly in social science and politics.
Image above: Cover of Overland no.8 Spring 1956, design and cartoon of the Melbourne Olympic Games by Vane Lindesay