Rupert Gerritsen passed away in Canberra on 3 November 2013. He was Chair of ‘Australia on the Map’ (AOTM), the Heritage and History Division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society (AHS).
He wrote a number of books, many scientific papers and reports and played an influential part in re-charting Australia’s maritime contact history prior to British settlement. With his friendly encouraging nature and his considerable skills as a networker, he will be sorely missed by a nation wide network of friends and acquaintances.
A driving force behind the success of national commemorations in 2006 of 400 years of European contact, Rupert was a founding member of ”AOTM 1606-2006” the organisation set up to promote and coordinate the commemorations.
Rupert Gerritsen was decorated in 2007 as a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau and was a Patherick Reader of the National Library of Australia.
Peter Reynders