Champion golfer Sir Bob Charles and food expert Alison Holst top the New Year's Honours List for lives well played and well made.
In all, 164 people are being honoured on Friday for service to their country and communities. Six Knights and one Dame have been appointed.
The Queen has appointed another 98 people to the New Zealand Order of Merit, eight companions to the Queen's Service Order and awarded 58 Queen's Service Medals.
Sir Bob, who became a Knight Companion in 1999, is made a Member of the Order of New Zealand. He has won more than 60 international titles and was the first left-handed golfer to win a major tournament - the British Open in 1963.
He has been a successful senior golfer, winning 35 events, including two senior British Open championships, and continues to donate 1% of his income annually to fund scholarships for promising young golfers.
Sir Bob says his retirement this year does not mean he is walking away from the game.
"I've got the opportunity of putting a little bit back into the game - I've certainly got a lot out of it. I hope there's the potential for a few exciting things coming up with New Zealand golf and I'll endeavour to put my heart and soul into that."
A recipe for success
Celebrated food expert Alison Holst has been made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the food industry.
Dame Alison published her first cookery book in 1966 and has sold more than four million copies of various titles. Her 100th work will be published in 2011. She also regularly writes newspaper columns and appears on television and radio.
Dame Alison says the honour is a lovely surprise and will celebrate it with family. She says it is nice to think she has been able to help people cook things they have liked.
She has previously been awarded the Queen's Service Medal and Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Knights appointed
Five other New Zealanders have been appointed as Knights.
Scientist and inventor Raymond Avery has been made a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to philanthropy.
Sir Raymond has used his skills to help improve the lives of the world's poorest people. He founded development agency Medicine Mondiale, creating a range of affordable food products and low-cost equipment, including cheap intraocular lenses to combat cataract blindness. He has been named New Zealander of the Year for 2010.
Justice David Baragwanath has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services at the Court of Appeal. Sir David's experience included serving as counsel during the Mt Erebus Royal Commission, presiding over the Law Commission, and his current role as a judge of the Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon at the Hague.
Businessman William Gallagher has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business. Sir William is chairman of the international animal fencing and management company Gallagher Group which employs over 1000 people. He is a founding member of the National Fieldays.
Another business leader, Michael Hill, has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts and business. Sir Michael is the founder of the 250-store Michael Hill International jewellery chain which is present in four countries and sponsors a violin competition which attracts some of the world's finest young musicians.
Author James McNeish has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature. Sir James was nominated in 1986 in the Booker Prize for his novel Lovelock and over the past 53 years has produced fiction, non-fiction, plays, documentaries and journalism.
Also made Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit is Emeritus Professor Tamati Reedy, who earlier this year was appointed to the Waitangi Tribunal, and was chief executive of the Department of Maori Affairs from 1983 to 1989. Sir Tamati, a former New Zealand Maori rugby representative, was extensively involved in the kohanga reo movement.
Other recipients
Emeritus Professor Roy Kerr is appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to astrophysics. In 1963, he discovered the full solution for astrophysical black holes and is seen by many as the unsung hero of mathematical physics.
Another to be made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit is teacher, business leader and educator Christine Fernyhough who co-founded the Books in Homes programme.
Dr Semisi Ma'ia'i is made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Samoan community, including his publication this year of a modern and comprehensive Samoan dictionary aimed at keeping the language alive and vibrant.
Veteran rugby photographer Peter Bush is made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He has photographed the national game since 1949 and has been a constant presence on the sidelines during All Black and other major games for the past 50 years.
New Plymouth's Brian Velvin has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contribution to surf lifesaving over the past 50 years. Mr Velvin is a former chairperson of Surf Life Saving New Zealand, a member of the International Life Saving Federation and has served on the Sport Commission of International Lifesaving.
Naida Glavish has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Maori and the community. The chair of Te Ruunanga o Ngaati Whaatua is also the chief tikanga adviser and general manager of Maori health for the Auckland District Health Board.
Barbara Disley, who led a review into the Accident Compensation Corporation's sexual abuse services has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health. Dr Disley was the Mental Health Commission's first chairperson in 1996 and has also worked in the field of special education.
Queenstown's former mayor of nine years Clive Geddes says being named as a Companion of the Queen's Service Order is a tribute to the way the Lakes District has handled its population boom. Mr Geddes says the honour recognises the way the elected council and staff have tried to extract the benefits of growth without ruining the landscapes that attract new people.
Sportspeople shine
Former All Whites player and current New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert is made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to football.
Mr Herbert this year coached the national side at the World Cup in South Africa, where they were the only side undefeated during the tournament.
Captain of the New Zealand football team Ryan Nelsen is appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the sport. Besides captaining the All Whites, he continues to play for Blackburn in the English premiership.
Yvette Corlett, the first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic gold medal, is made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. She won the long jump title at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
