Life since Aberdeen?
I graduated Hons. Zoology in 1965 and went on to do a Dip. Ed. and a Certificate in Teaching Zoology. This got me the job of Biology Master at Aberdeen Grammar School for a year. In mid – 67 I emigrated to Australia with my Australian wife Helen and two year old son Iain in tow. Our daughter Sheree was born shortly after our arrival in Sydney. After a brief sojourn teaching in Sydney high schools I took up a position at what eventually became the University of Southern Queensland at Toowoomba in inland southern Queensland. I was employed there from 1968 until I retired in 2003 as a Senior Lecturer. I had a very satisfying career at the USQ establishing and running courses in zoology, population ecology and genetics and researching the population dynamics of water birds. My PHd thesis was entitled the ‘Population Dynamics of the Cattle Egret’. I had a very fruitful sabbatical year at Brathens (UK Institute of Terrestrial Ecology)(1977-78) and enjoyed shorter study trips to many parts of the world. Over the years I have dabbled in the design of urban water bird habitats and been a consultant on pest birds. I have had leading roles in local naturalist and conservation clubs. Since retiring I have authored a book on Australian herons (CSIRO Publishing 2005). My hobbies are bird watching and bush walking and the 4th edition of my book ‘Bush Walks in the Towoomba Region: With notes on natural history’ is to appear shortly. And I must mention being the proud grandfather of Hannah (7) and twins Lily and Samuel (5).
