The club sadly announces the passing of our Co-Patron John Dell.
John has been an untiring supporter of the Toodyay Naturalists’ Club since the mid 1980s; he was appointed patron to our Club in July 1994. John has had a life-long interest in the WA Naturalists’ Club holding many positions on the committee including past President and the Journal Editor for many, many years.
Desrae Clarke, the club secretary, recalls a former Toodyay Naturalists’ Club member’s story of a young John cycling to WA Nats’ Club meetings. This member would then give John a lift to the Perth Hills, on his way home to Seabrook out of Northam.
Throughout his long association with the Toodyay Nats’ Club, John led excursions to places like the Avon Valley National Park and Julimar Forest and addressed the club on many occasions.
John shared his extensive knowledge with the group, covering nocturnal birds, even bringing live examples of small mammals like bats and pygmy possums. His expertise in reptiles was particularly remarkable, demonstrated during a club campout in Avon Valley National Park where he effortlessly located hidden geckos. For 20 years, John diligently monitored a gecko population on a Konnongorring farm, a project that sadly ended with a devastating fire. Despite this loss, his dedication to the area remained.
John has always willingly shared his encyclopaedic knowledge of natural history when identifying native flora and fauna – particularly herpetofauna.
John was awarded the Australian Natural History Medallion in 1988 and the Australian Public Service Medal (APSM) in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours for ‘Outstanding public service to the advancement of natural history and conservation’.
John’s contribution and knowledge to the advancement of natural history and conservation commands respect by both the scientific fraternity and the general public.
You can read John’s bio on the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation website.
