The Company of Master Mariners of Australia is an association established to promote the interests and status of the Merchant Navy generally and of Master Mariners in particular.
The Company of Master Mariners was founded by Capt AN Boulton, MBE, VRD, BCom, ExC. He and a number of other Master Mariners considered there was a need in Australia to form a unified body of professional mariners somewhat similar to that of The Honourable Company of Master Mariners, London.
Thus, on 18 July 1938, the Company of Master Mariners of Queensland was formed by an assembly of 29 Master Mariners in Brisbane. At the first Court meeting on 12 August 1938, the association was renamed The Company of Master Mariners of Australia, and its Constitution was drafted.
Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, the Governor of Queensland became the first Master of the Company in 1939. He was succeeded by Admiral Sir Hugh Binney, Governor of Tasmania, succeeded by the Governor-General of Australia, Sir William McKell, in about 1948. Since then, each successive Governor-General has been pleased to accept the office of Master of the Company. The Company was incorporated in 1988.
We are a not-for-profit professional association that is limited by guarantee. We currently have over 350 members spread over four Branches, located in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth.
