Awards and Recognition

The “Rusty Wrench” Award

The Rusty Wrench Award is an award started by Jeff Waugh to recognise outstanding service to the Australian and New Zealand Free and Open Source Software community. It is awarded annually. As of 2012, nominations are taken from the public and a winner is selected by the previous awardees – colloquially known as “Rusty Wrenchers”, in conjunction with the Linux Australia Council.

The Rusty Wrench is named for Rusty Russell, one of Australia’s most prominent contributors and community members, and founder of linux.conf.au (as CALU, in 1999), and inaugural recipient of the award.

Nominations for the 2021 Rusty Wrench Award will be at linux.conf.au Online 2021.

Winners of the Rusty Wrench Award:

  • 2021 — Ryan Verner
  • 2020 — Jonathan Oxer
  • 2019 — Joshua Hesketh
  • 2018: no award made
  • 2017— Awarded jointly to Michael Still and Michael Davies
  • 2016: no award made
  • 2015 — Steve Walsh
  • 2014 — Andrew Tridgell
  • 2013 — Donna Benjamin
  • 2012 — Mary Gardiner
  • 2008–2011: no award made
  • 2007 — Kim Weatherall
  • 2006 — Pia Waugh (now Pia Andrews)
  • 2005 — Rusty Russell

Past awards

This section lists awards bestowed historically.

2020 Community Recognition Award

Vanessa Teague, Geoffrey Huntley, Jim Mussared, Richard Nelson and the COVID-Safe Analysis team:
For advocating for a better solution for All Australians and upholding Linux Australia’s Values.

2009 Community Recognition Awards

Janet Hawtin:
For designing the Linux Australia and Open Source Industry Australia logos and commitment to community development.

Alison Russell:
For acting as speaker liaison for the conference over many years & compiling the LCA-HowTo for future bid teams.

Hugh Blemings:
For helping build and maintain the Linux Australia and IBM relationship in support of linux.conf.au over the past 10 years.

Community Member of the Year Award

This award is for the LA community member of the year and nominations come from the LA community, and the decision is made by a panel of LA members. The award recognises and awards people who have contributed positively to the Linux community in the preceding year.

Winners of the Community Member of the Year Award:

  • 2007 – Melissa Draper
  • 2006 – Pascal Klein