In 1979, Bonner was jointly named Australian of the Year along with naturalist Harry Butler. In 1984, Bonner was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. From 1992 to 1996, he was member of the Griffith University Council. The university gave him an honorary doctorate in 1993. In 1998, he was elected to the Constitutional Convention as a candidate of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy. 