For as long as I can remember I have always had an avid interest in wildlife.

I was brought up in a suburb called Broadmeadows, on the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria. In those early days, quite unlike the urban appearance of Broadmeadows today, the nearest house was 2-3 kilometres away and the undulating fields of open grassland that probably gave the suburb its name surrounded us. It was in those fields that I got my introduction to the diversity of Australian wildlife. Macropods, monotremes, reptiles, and the many avian species of the area all introduced themselves to me as I began to perceive the web of life that enveloped my world.

As I grew so did the city of Melbourne and it was less than a decade before we were living in suburbia. To satisfy my need for the comfort of open spaces my friends and I would often go north of Melbourne, beyond the urban sprawl, in search of a favourite creek with alluring swimming holes. There we would learn how to outsmart the Trout that had been introduced to those waterways and there too I would discover a whole new aquatic world and meet my first Platypus. Little did I know that one day I would be involved in significant research on this fascinating yet cryptic species.

After my schooling, which was immediately followed by a short period in the Army, I worked in a variety of roles but found satisfaction in few of them. It was not until the late ‘70s, when I began working in a small fauna park in Queensland, that I realised my passion for wildlife and my vocation could be one and the same.

From Queensland I moved to Sydney where, after several applications, I eventually secured a position with Taronga Zoo as a keeper in the Marine Mammals section. For the next ten years my focus on wildlife was centred on seals. I furthered my husbandry skills, became proficient in operant conditioning techniques and got my first taste of field research at an Australian fur seal colony in Victoria.  

My career developed and I eventually became Divisional Manager of the Marine Mammal Department with responsibility for the zoo’s collection of penguins, 30+ seals and 9 staff.  

I was fortunate to secure a position in wildlife research when an opportunity to manage the newly formed Zoological Parks Board of NSW Conservation and Research Centre presented itself in 1993.  Initially I was involved in the administrative and operational responsibilities of the Centre but soon found myself closely involved in the fascinating research program and in several consultancies developing captive breeding facilities both in Australia and overseas.

Research projects included:

• Platypus biology, ecology, toxicology and captive breeding

• Ecology of Little Penguin Eudyptula minor

• Development of an initiative with Sydney University for the Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre

• Assistance with the development of the Animal Gene Resource Storage Centre of Australia.

• Consultant to NSW National Parks &Wildlife Service and Sydney Water on improving feral pig and goat control in remote areas of NSW.

• Consultant to NSW National Parks &Wildlife Service on the status and management of Common Wombats in Kangaroo Valley, NSW.

For further information regarding my work history please refer to my curriculum vitae.

On a personal note, I am happily married to Karin who works in the Jewellery Industry and I am the proud step father of Karin's two children - Odette and Wendy.   Odette is a primary school teacher and Wendy is a journalist/editor.  I am fortunate that I have the support of them all in order for me to pursue my interests.

Thank you for sharing my interest in wildlife.  I sincerely hope you find these pages useful.