Colin Morwood OAM BE CEng FIET, June 1930 – August 2023
Published: Fri 15 Sep 2023
Obituary provided by the IET Queensland Network Committee - Chair Lincoln Perera, Hon. Treasurer Professor Ljubo Vlacic and General Committee - Web Portal, Student Prizes & YP Mentor Jonathan Khor.
It is with great sadness that we have been advised of the passing of Colin Morwood, our former Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Council Representative, who passed away peacefully on 21 August 2023.
Colin has had a distinguished career both here in Australia and overseas spanning the years of 1952 to his retirement from the industry in 1987. Colin’s career started after graduating from the University of Queensland in 1952 and joining the City Electricity & Light/South East Authority Queensland Substation in Brisbane.
His career transitioned through positions in Southern Electric Authority and Northern Electric Authority. Colin moved to the Papua New Guinea Electricity Commission for three years as the Assistant General Manager Engineering from 1974 to 1977 before returning to Queensland Electricity Generating Board, where he retired from his engineering career.
The prestigious and inaugural E S Cornwall Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Colin in 1957 besides being the first Cadet Engineer appointed in SEAQ in 1948. Colin was also awarded the PNG Government Independence Medal in 1977 for ‘Outstanding Services to the Government in the field of Electricity Supply.’
Outside of his engineering career, Col’s other interests included rotary clubs and gymnastics. In addition to representing Queensland at high level competitions as a gymnast, he has also participated as a judge at international level. He was recognised in the 1998 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, the Medal of the Order of Australia for “services to the community and to gymnastics”.
He was also a judge at the Olympic Games in Melbourne 1956 and Rome 1960, and was chief Australian delegate to the International Gymnastic Federation Conference Moscow in 1958.
For his long-standing service to the IEE/IET as Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Council Representative over many years, in 2019 Colin was short listed for the IET 2019 Volunteer Medal.
Colin will be remembered for his tireless and passionate dedication to society and the IET.
Well done, Colin and Rest in Peace.