Fairfax cartoonist David Rowe has been named Cartoonist Of The Year at the 33rd Stanley Awards held on Saturday night at Old Parliament House in Canberra.

Voted by peers of the Australian Cartoonists Association, Rowe headed a top field of cartoonists for the Gold Stanley Award that included Christopher Downes, Mark Knight, Glen Le Lievre, Judy Nadin and Cathy Wilcox.

Rowe's fifth Gold Stanley Award was presented to him by Pulitzer Award-winning American editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes and renowned animator Nancy Beiman. His win capped off a great evening for him and his family as he was also earlier awarded the Bronze Stanley Award for Editorial/Political Cartoonist.

Other bronze Stanley Award winners included Peter Viska (Animator Cartoonist), Judy Nadin (for her second consecutive Caricaturist award), Jules Faber (Children's Book Illustrator), Torkan creator Roger Fletcher (Comic Book Artist), Gary Clark (Comic Strip Cartoonist for a remarkable 14th time), Anton Emdin (Illustrator) and Peter Player (Single Gag Cartoonist).

The Jim Russell Award for outstanding service to Australian cartooning was presented to Gary Chaloner for his tireless work and promotion of local comic book artists.

In a fitting tribute, the late Bill Leak, political cartoonist from The Australian, and the late Murray Ball, creator of Footrot Flats, were inducted into the Australian Cartooning Hall Of Fame. Bill's son, Johannes, accepted the award on behalf of the Leak family.

Full results, including finalists

The Stanley Awards were held in conjunction with the Museum Of Australian Democracy's Behind The Lines annual political cartoons exhibition.