Biographical entry Morrison, Philip Crosbie (1900 - 1958)

Summary

Philip Crosbie Morrison became Australia's best known naturalist during the 1940s and 50s. He was the editor of Wild Life from 1938-54 and broadcast regular weekly nature talks from 1938 until his death.

Details

Born Auburn, Victoria, 19 December 1900. Died 1 March 1958. Educated University of Melbourne (MSc). Editor, Wild Life 1938-54; continuous weekly broadcast on nature talks from 1938 through Australian and New Zealand stations; lecturer in natural history, Melbourne University Extension Board (later Council of Adult Education) 1939-50; expeditions include Great Barrier Reef Committee 1925, first Mackay aerial survey of central Australia 1930 and a later trip across the Nullarbor with Sir Russell Grimwade (q.v.). Special writer, The Argus, Melbourne, since 1954. Australian Natural History Medallion 1947. President, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria 1941-43; President, Royal Society of Victoria 1949-50; foundation president, Victorian branch, British Astronomical Association 1951-53; foundation president, Victorian National Parks Association 1952. Wrote Melbourne's Garden (1946).

Related entries

Archival resources

Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, University of Melbourne

• Audio tape of interview with P. G. Morrison, P000657; Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, University of Melbourne. Details

State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection

• Philip Crosbie Morrison - Records, 1924 - 1960; State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection. Details

Published resources

Articles

• Sherratt, Tim; Condé, Anne-Marie, Communicating with Wild Life, Australasian Science, vol. Summer, 1992. Also available at http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/exhib/journal/as_morri.htm. Details

Books

• Brash, Stuart; Conde Anne-Marie; Robin, Libby; McCarthy, Gavan; Sherratt, Tim, A Guide to the Records of Philip Crosbie Morrison, Australian Science Archives Project, Melbourne, 1993, 178 pp. Also available at http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/morr/morrison.htm. Details
• Pizzey, Graham, Crosbie Morrison: Voice of Nature, Victoria Press, Melbourne, 1992, 303 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Pizzey, Graham, 'Morrison, Philip Crosbie (1900-1958), Naturalist', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 15, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2000, pp. 418-420. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150488b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Balmford, Peter, 'Newspapers as a Source of Information about Natural History', Victorian Naturalist, vol. 102, no. 1, 1985, pp. 20-27. Details
• Bartels, Ditta, 'Speech by Ditta Bartels at launch of the Guide to the Records of Philip Crosbie Morrison', History of Australian Science Newsletter, vol. 32, Australian Science Archives Project, Melbourne, 1994. Also available at http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/hasn/no32/feats32.html#morrison. Details
• Garnet, J. R., 'A Tribute to Crosbie Morrison', Victorian Naturalist, vol. 75, 1958, pp. 21-24. Details
• Robin, Libby, 'Visions of Nature: Wild Life, 1938-1954', The Victorian Naturalist, vol. 102, no. 5, September/October, pp. 153-61. Details

Online Resources

• Brash, Stuart; Condé, Anne-Marie; Robin, Libby; McCarthy, Gavan; Sherratt, Tim, Philip Crosbie Morrison Guide to Records, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 2004, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/morr/morrison.htm. Details
• National Library of Australia, 'Morrison, Crosbie', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-516460. Details

See also

• Federation and Meteorology, 2001, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/scripts/fam-dynindex.php3?EID=P000657. Details
• Science and the making of Victoria, with Royal Society of Victoria, 2001, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/smv/scripts/smv-dynindex.php3?EID=P000657. Details