Directors and Governors

Tony Hunt served in the Royal Australian Navy for 42 years retiring in 1995 as a Rear Admiral. He joined the Fleet in that year as the Project Director for the final phase of the James Craig restoration, standing down as PD in 2001 when the ship came into survey. He remained involved with the James Craig Co-ordination Committee for a number of years. In 2004 he was elected to the Board as a Director and became President in 2006. He is a member of the Safety Committee, chairman of the Advisory Committee and chairman of the Fundraising Co-ordination Committee.

Bill Bourke
I was born in Brisbane in 1941. On completion of tertiary studies in Science (University of Queensland 1962) and in Aeronautical Engineering (University of Sydney 1965), I worked in the aviation industry for 38 years, initially at the Government Aircraft Factories in Melbourne from 1965 and then joining Qantas in Sydney in 1969 until retirement in 2003. At Qantas, I attained executive -level management, involved in new aircraft evaluation, purchase and introduction into service. I spent three years in the early 1980’s as the company’s technical representative at the Boeing plant in Seattle. I completed post graduate studies for a Master’s degree in Engineering Science at the University of Sydney in 1975, presenting a thesis on Airport Noise. I was for many years, the company’s authority on aircraft environmental issues and also its representative on Australian and international forums related to aircraft operations and associated environmental regulations and design standards.

During my employment at Qantas and in retirement, I was a Director for 21 years thru 2013 on the Board of the Qantas Credit Union, one of the largest, most successful and well managed credit unions in Australia.

My main reasons for joining the Museum’s Library in 2003 were an interest in maritime heritage and research stimulated by my father-in-law’s “life at sea” as a master mariner with the A.U.S.N. during WW2 and service with the Queensland Coast and Torres Strait Pilot service and my school boy memories of the John Oxley on the Brisbane River. Also, I had spent 10 years as a volunteer on Sydney Harbour with the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, providing safety and communication services to the recreational boating community from its rescue boat base at Birkenhead Point and its radio base at the historic South Head signal station.

In February 2005 I assumed oversight of the Museum’s Maritime Records and Research Centre (MRRC) as its Curator and more recently participated in the editorial team for the publication of the last issues of our prestigious magazine, the Australian Sea Heritage (ASH).

I was elected to the SMM Ltd Board in September 2004 thru September 2010, rejoining in September 2011 for a two year period as Vice-President. Since October 2005, I have been a Director on the Board of the Sydney Maritime Museum Custodian Ltd, the Trustees and legal owners of Museum’s historical vessels and Collection.

Recently I was involved with the development of the Museum’s Collection policy, formation of our Interpretation Committee and, as its Chair, preparation of a Protocol to assist with a standard and professional approach to interpretation projects related to the Museum’s vessels and its Collection.

I was appointed to a casual vacancy on the SMM Ltd Board in June 2018 and I am now elected in October 2018.

Aside from my volunteer activities, I am with my wife of 51 years, very involved with our five children and our extended family of nine grandchildren. Successful sales of my artwork of land-scape and marine-scape themes exhibited at the Sydney Easter and Brisbane Shows, provide a welcome diversion in retirement.