Australia’s Environmental History:

Inspired by a deep love of country and a desire to see unique landscapes and biodiversity protected, Australia has a long tradition of environmental heroes.

Between 1993 and 2004, Gregg Borschmann recorded 47 interviews for the National Library of Australia with prominent Australians who have helped to shape environmental awareness and public policy.

From the early days of the fights to save the Great Barrier Reef, the Franklin River and the Kosciuszko high country to the birth of green politics, water reform, emerging indigenous understandings, animal welfare issues and the Landcare movement, this project documents changing attitudes to environmental management in Australia.

Highlights include recordings of:

• pioneering Australian architect and heritage expert David Yencken;

• early naturalists and popular natural history writers Vincent Serventy and Densey Clyne;

• Mary White, author of the ground-breaking books The Greening of Australia and After the Greening;

• high profile conservation campaigners John Sinclair, Bob Brown, Jo Valentine and Geoff Mosley;

• CSIRO ecologist Alec Costin and ornithologist Harry Recher;

• John Walmsley explaining the birth of the on-going project to protect threatened Australian mammal species from feral cats, foxes and other predators;

• underwater photographer Ron Taylor who, with his wife Valerie, produced early stunning colour images and documentary film of the Great Barrier Reef and Australia’s sharks, especially the Great Whites;

• the last formal interview with conservationist Milo Dunphy.

The National Library of Australia Environmental Awareness In Australia Oral History Collection:

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3920099

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Search/Home?lookfor=my_parent%3A%22(AuCNL)3920099%22&iknowwhatimean=1