He was a three time Australian national champion and won a bronze medal at the 1977 World Rowing Championships.

In 1975, he relocated back to Melbourne and joined the Mercantile Rowing Club from where he had most of his representative success.

[1] Hawkins first rowed at the Australian Interstate Regatta in 1974 in a Queensland lightweight four contesting the Penrith Cup.

[1] In Mercantile colours Hawkins contested national titles at the Australian Rowing Championships.

[1] Hawkins made his Australian representative debut in 1977 in the men's lightweight eight at the 1977 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.