A number of Sydney Anglicans have been acknowledged for their contributions to church and community in the Australia Day honours list, which expanded by 200 places this year.

Among the 2026 honourees was Emeritus Professor Christopher Bellenger, who was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Professor Bellenger has given significant service to veterinary science, to tertiary education, and to the Anglican Church of Australia.

A long-time Professor of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney, Professor Bellenger was a member of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney from 1998-2004 and also chaired the Anglican Education Committee for seven years until 2020. He was a long-time member of the executive of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. 

After retirement, Professor Bellenger served as Master of Robert Menzies College for the six years to 2011. In local church involvement, he served as a warden of St Thomas’, North Sydney and is currently a church warden and Synod representative for St Luke's, Clovelly.

Other Sydney church members honoured include John Bicknell of Bargo,  honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community though a range of organisations. 

Mr Bicknell has been a parishioner and volunteer at churches in the Wollondilly region for more than 30 years, serving as treasurer for the congregations of Picton, Thirlmere and Tahmoor.

Also awarded an OAM was John Weeks of Thirroul, for service to secondary education. Mr Weeks was principal of The Illawarra Grammar School from 1997-2003, and a former chairman of the Heads of Combined Associated Schools.

He was church warden at Austinmer from 1996-2002 and is a member of St Michael's, Wollongong.

Adrian Read of Pitt Town was honoured with an OAM for service to gymnastics, and to the community. He was a director of Gymnastics Australia from 1993-2001 and a former president of Gymnastics NSW. He also served on the parish council of St Andrew's, Wahroonga for 10 years.

 Graham Peart, an Anglican layman from Central Western New South Wales, was given an OAM for service to the wool industry.

High-profile Christians honoured include kidnapped medical missionary Dr Ken Elliot and his wife Jocelyn.

The Elliots, who served in Africa since the 1970s, were appointed as Officers of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to international relations through humanitarian medical care in remote regions of Burkina Faso.

Have we missed anyone? Let us know.

Feature photo: Professor Bellenger during his time as Master of Robert Menzies College. Photo credit:RMC