A FATHER whose children were killed during the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 has been bestowed one of the nation's highest honours.

Walter Mikac, now a Byron Bay resident, was awarded an Order of Australia for his advocacy work on gun control and protecting children from violence and abuse through his charity, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation.

Alannah, 3, and Madeline, 6, were Mr Mikac's daughters who, together with his wife Nannette, were among the 35 people murdered by Martin Bryant at the popular tourist site and former prison colony in Tasmania .

Since that fateful day, Mr Mikac has channelled his grief into contributing to the formation of the National Firearms Agreement as well as creating child social welfare programs through his charity, which was established in 1997.