UPDATED 11:09am: Our country's best and brightest have been recognised in the unveiling of the annual New Year Honours List.

Eight knights and two dames are among the 183 people honoured this year.

Read the full list 

Professor Murray Brennan, an internationally-acclaimed surgeon, has been made Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit - an honour second only to being made a Member of the Order of New Zealand, a title not awarded this year.

Tariana Turia is one of two women being made dames, for her services as an MP.

She's joined in the distinguished category by Ellen Adrienne, Lady Stewart, awarded the title for services to art and business.

New Zealand's freshly dubbed knights are architect Ian Athfield; criminal lawyer Peter Williams, QC; High Court judge Graham Panckhurst, QC; Sport New Zealand chair Paul Collins; business leader Neville Jordan; former New Zealand rower Donald Rowlands; and Brother Patrick Lynch of the Catholic Education Office.

Special awards include a New Zealand Antarctic Medal, five New Zealand Distinguished Service Decorations for serving members of the Defence Force, and a New Zealand Bravery Medal - awarded to Pike River survivor Daniel Rockhouse.

Other well-known New Zealanders recognised with the honour of Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit include former Telecom CEO Theresa Gattung, and MPs Murray McCully and Tony Ryall.

Also honoured this year is former Split Enz member Mike Chunn who's spent the last decade encouraging teenagers to write songs through the Play it Strange Trust.

"If we don't foster, encourage, listen to and celebrate the songs that are written by our young people, we're never going to end up with a broad, wide, fulsome tradition of words and music."

Among the new Officers of the order include author Fleur Beale, Canterbury Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle, and historian Monty Soutar

Chef Jo Seagar and Auckland City Football Club's Ivan Vicelich get a mention as new Members of the order, for their services to the community and football respectively.