Ed Punchard appointed as Explorers Club West Australia Programme Coordinator

Written By ANZEC Email

On the eve of the Exports Club's first-ever event in Western Australia, we are excited to announce the appointment of Ed Punchard as ANZEC's Western Australia program coordinator.

 

Ed will be hosting this inaugural event on the 12th of September.

Since joining the club 18 months ago, we have been inspired by his enthusiasm and energy. He has made several trips to our events in Sydney and will now be taking charge of organizing our events in WA.

 

On behalf of the Australia and New Zealand chapter of the Explorers Club, I wholeheartedly welcome Ed to this position and we eagerly anticipate future events and possibly expeditions under his leadership.

You can contact Ed Punchard here.

About Ed Punchard

Submersible Pilot and Operator, Documentary Maker, Maritime Archaeologist.

Fremantle, Western Australia

In 1988, as a North Sea oilfield diver, Ed Punchard survived the world's worst offshore oil rig disaster on board the Piper Alpha in the North Sea. It exploded in one of the world’s biggest non-nuclear explosions and took 167 lives.

 

In 1991 after a graduate degree in maritime archaeology, Ed established Prospero Productions in Fremantle, Western Australia, eventually producing or directing some 350 films for television and large format theatres. He and his films have received many international and national awards and has made films for most of the world’s best broadcasters, including National Geographic, Discovery, BBC, ITV, Ch5, France 5, RAI, RTE, ABC, SBS, Ch9, Ch7 and TVNZ.

Often his films facilitated expeditions to remarkable places. Mawson’s Huts, the Ningaloo reef, the Gallipoli campaign shipwrecks, the Malaysian rainforests, Truk Lagoon and the discovery of the last missing WW2 wreck, the Abrolhos Islands and Batavia’s graveyard, the Rottnest Deepwater Graveyard, the Broome air-aid wrecks, Sri Lanka’s VOC ship Avonster, HMS Hermes and the search for HMAS Vampire off Trincomalee, the search and discovery of the Correo Di Azia and its silver, and Bodrum’s institute of Nautical Archaeology. These have all been features of Ed’s expedition film work. He has worked closely with important institutions and people including the father of maritime archaeology George Bass, Robert Ballard, and the Western Australian Museum.

Ed has twice been honorary associate or the Western Australian Museum. Also chairman of Screenwest, the Western Australian State film funding agency. chairman of the HMAS Sydney foundation that was set up to advance investigations into the loss of HMAS Sydney and promote efforts to locate the lost vessel. In the 1980’s Press Officer then National Officer of the British Association of Professional Divers.

 

Ed is passionate about maritime history, the discovery of missing shipwrecks and the techniques and technology of underwater exploration. Through his company he previously owned the two-man submersible and 28 metre mothership, Odyssea and Tallasea 2.

Film and Promo Links

You can contact Ed Punchard here.

ANZEC Email
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