Table Of Content

THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN NATURALIS Vol. 26 30th October 20 OBITUARY VINCENT NOEL SERVEN 6 January 1916 - 8 September 2007 Vincent Serventy awarded the degree of DSc from Macquarie University. 151 Members of the Western Australian Naturalists’ Club were deeply saddened at the death of Honorary Life Member Dr Vincent Serventy on 8 Sep¬ tember 2007. A detailed obituary article with personal tributes can be seen in “Australian Wildlife” Spring 4/2007. Some personal tributes from Club members are provided below. The following is extracted from the introductory speech deliver¬ ed by John Dell at the Serventy Memorial Lecture which honoured the contributions of the Serventy family. “Vin Seri>ent;y joined the W.A. \ Naturalists' Club in the 1930’s and his enthusiasm and drive resulted in a tremendous increase in Club activities. Vin was a renowned and Vincent Serventy on a Naturalists’ exciting educator who drew huge Club excursion to Garden Island in crowds at various lectures and the 1950. Photo: Joy Russell, now Joy annual Wildlife Shows in the Perth Harnett. Town Hall. He served 3 terms as Vice-President and 2 terms as President before moving to the Originally a significant figure in eastern states with his wife Carol who environmental education in Western was club Secretary in 1956-57. Australia, he spread this educational work to a wider field by his books, Vin’s contributions to conservation articles, lectures, letters, telecasts, since then have been legendary and he radio programmes and magazine is regarded as one of Australia’s editing. leading conservationists. Over more than sixty years of environmental Thousands of Australians have taken work in Australia, and internation¬ up environmental science as a career, ally, Vincent Serventy has worked to or joined conservation groups, realise his vision of a world whose because of his influence and wonder¬ people understand that we do not ful example. own this earth, but are trustees for its His more than 70 books on wildlife, future, and that we should live in the environment and conservation harmony within nature. have played a major role in the 152 development of conservation interest A personal tribute by Barbara York in Australia since the 1960s. Main Vincent Serventy was one of the “69”- he can write, take a leading figures in many conservation gander at this”. battles in Australia, both large and Students clustered round in the small, for many years. school quadrangle, poring over He delivered the inaugural Serventy an article by Mr Serventy in a Memorial Lecture in June 1990 with recent copy of Walkabout - an a very apt lecture titled “The Australian “outback” magazine Individual and the Enviromnent”. before “outback” became trendy, Sadly Vin passed away on 8 Sep¬ its issues comprising a mixture of tember 2007.” travel, camping, geography, and Vincent Serventy being presented with the award Ridder of the Golden Ark by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. 153 wildlife and with natural history Spring he was quick to dump a projected as an acceptable pur¬ pile of dirt adjacent to a neat pit suit. Vin Serventy, High School ready for me to dissect a burrow. science teacher (later to become Vin was a pioneer of the nature head of the Nature Advisory film in the early days of Section in the Education Depart¬ television in Australia and with a ment), writer and photographer, copious list of magazine articles film maker, conservationist; but and over 70 books, combined foremost a naturalist, his with his public speaking and role enthusiasm inspired a generation in many societies dedicated to of high school students includ¬ wildlife conservation, general ing those whom he did not natural history and heritage, his formally teach in the class room. influence has been widespread and lasting. I recall my first week at Northam High School when on a hot Born in 1916 in Western Aus¬ February day in a stuffy class tralia, Vin spent his formative room pervaded by the end of years on the family orchard at summer smell from the Avon the foot of the “hills’ where with River, “69” was supervising a his siblings (family child labour!) group of first years prior to their he contributed to the con¬ allocation to particular classes. struction of a stone wall (later to Desperate to get some rapport be ignominiously bulldozed, with the gaggle of students, he presumably for road material). queried “Anyone interested in His secondary education at Perth BIRDS?” A few hands were Modern School was followed by a tentatively raised, including Science degree at the University mine. So began a long and rich of Western Australia and a association with Vin, as colleague Diploma of Education. and friend. With Bert (A.R. Main) While fulfilling his teaching and sometimes a few University obligations Vin was all the while students there were many writing and photographing camping trips, especially into the natural history subjects from Wheatbelt and Goldfields (and insects to birds and other later in eastern Australia). And it creatures as well as landscapes was soon apparent that Vin’s and particular habitats. (In interests extended beyond birds. searching for some photographs I was often grateful for his deft which would include Vin as a handling of a spade when extri¬ subject I am now disappointed to cating trapdoor spiders — his realise that on our many bush mother might have complained sojourns, Vin was always the about his less diligent appli¬ “camera man” ordering someone cation of this tool in the else into the picture as a scale!) He vegetable garden at Subiaco but spent much time travelling and from Payne’s Find to Widgie- camping in the field, giving mooltha and Queen Victoria authenticity to the many books 154 Vin was an active member (including serving on com¬ mittees) of many “clubs” and societies such as the Western Australian Naturalists’ Club, Tree Society, Conservation Council (WA), the National Trust, the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia (of which he was ultimately President of Honour) and the Australian Society of Authors. He was also a long time Fellow and several times President of the Fellowship of Australian Writers (WA) as well as having been National Presi¬ dent. In recognition of his con¬ tribution to conservation he received many awards, namely a Dutch Knighthood, Member of the Order of Australia (AM), an Honorary Doctorate of Science, recipient of the Australian Natural History Medal. Vin was married to Carol Vincent Serventy climbing in the (Darbyshire) for over 50 years. Stirling Ranges in 1950. Photo: Joy They had three children and Russell, now Joy Harnett. after moving from Western Aus¬ tralia via a continental northern he wrote as single author or a crossing in a four wheel drive contributor. Australia, a contin¬ and caravan to Sydney (filming ent, was his terrain and his and writing en route) in 1965 writings and photographic they settled in a rambling house records range from the south¬ at Hunters Hill. This was Vin’s west to the Kimberley, to Lake base from which he made his Eyre, to Tasmania, to north many sorties into the bush and Queensland and the Barrier Reef. overseas until finally Carol and But for many, perhaps his most Vin dug in at Pearl Beach. But read and loved book is still the articles and books “Dryandra” the story of a West¬ continued to flow. While his ern Australian forest depicted public writings and active par¬ through the natural history of a ticipation in conservation battles selection of animals and plants are well known there remains a against the changing facets of the hidden trove - the letters. An annual cycle of seasons. indefatigable letter writer, to 155 newspapers, politicians and other shows took nature study to the public figures, advocating or people of Perth and WA and took lambasting some cause or action, the Club into a post war revival to societies, relatives and friends; that continued on after Vin took surely not a day passed without his knowledge and enthusiasm several carefully edited, or hastily Australia wide. typed or peremptorily scribbled Although in latter years he lived notes and letters find-ing their near Sydney he still had time for way through the post. his home state. Vin had a large circle of In 1985 when what is now Mt colleagues and personal friends. Lesueur National Park was Sadly, many preceded him. But threatened with coal mining Vin for many of us we can still see flew to Perth to support our him around the camp fire, Club, the Wildflower Society, trudging through the bush and and others in a rally and meeting walking briskly along the sand at on the site. He was not well at the Pearl Beach stooping to pick up time but insisted on continuing someone else’s litter, forever to the meeting and speaking to considering the care of the the press. The campaign was landscape. successful. The mining company withdrawing their claims saying A personal tribute by Alan Notley they were not aware of the ecological significance of the site Having recently arrived in Perth which is now a National Park. from England I first joined the Club in 1950. Meetings were held Vin showed great courage and at the W.A. Museum meeting determination with his efforts to room. Bert Main, then a student protect the environment. at UWA was President and He was an environmental Barbara York was secretary. Club campaigner well ahead of his excursions seemed to be time. He wrote A Continent in organized by Lucy Serventy with Danger in 1966. He would be Vincent giving a great deal of heartened to see that the support. Vin was always there to majority are now becoming lead. He was so enthusiastic with aware of these dangers. He will be everything he did. Of course he sadly missed by all who knew had the support of older brother him. Dominic and many others but it He led so many of us on a path of was Vin’s enthusiasm that made knowledge through the bush the Wildlife shows and all Club and we learnt so much along the activities so successful. These way. 156