Reflections from a Long Life

I was born in 1945 in Perth and studied Zoology at the University of Western Australia. My early career took me through universities in Melbourne, New England, and England before I spent more than two decades at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. There I worked as an archaeologist, researcher, publisher, and later created The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia.
My research covered zoology, archaeozoology, Pleistocene history, megafaunal extinctions, and the role of fire in Australian ecosystems. My major works include Recovering the Tracks, The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia, and the Aboriginal Australia map. Over the years I earned multiple degrees and received several national awards for publishing and cultural contribution.
After leaving the Institute, I wrote The Pure State of Nature, became a stud sheep breeder, and even ran for federal parliament in 2007. Later life brought significant health challenges — cancer, a heart attack, and a stroke — but also a renewed focus on writing. Completing two memoirs, Beginning’s End (the story of a migrant family to Australia from England), and
Hammering on the Mind’s Door (reflecting on a life spent in science, archaeology, publishing, farming, politics, and survival). Currently completing a book of poetry, The quiet still centre.