Person
Austin, Austin Frank (1914 - 1945)
- Born
- 4 December 1914
Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia - Died
- 10 May 1945
Tarkan, Borneo - Occupation
- Bird observer and Grazier
Summary
Frank Austin enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1940 and served in the Middle East before being posted to the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland. While there he was a keen observer of the local birds. His unpublished notes included historical information about birdlife at Bromfield Swamp. Austin collaborated with another bird enthusiast posted to the Tablelands, Patrick Bourke. When Austin was deployed to Indonesia in April 1945, he left two papers in draft with Bourke: these were subsequently published in Emu. Bird skins collected by Austin and another soldier in his regiment, Arthur Barnett, were donated to the Australian Museum. In April 1945 Austin was posted to Morotai, Indonesia. He was killed in action a month later at Tarkan, Borneo.
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Details
Chronology
- 1940 - 1945
- Military service - Served with the Second Australian Imperial Force
Published resources
Journal Articles
- Bourke, P. A. and Austin, A. F., ' Notes on the red-browed lorilet', Emu, 46 (4) (1947), 286-94, https://doi.org/10.1071/MU946286. Details
- Bourke, P. A. and Austin, A. F., 'The Atherton Tablelands and its avifauna', Emu, 47 (2) (1947), 87-116, https://doi.org/10.1071/MU947087. Details
- P.A.B. [Bourke, P. A.], 'Obituaries. Austin Frank Austin', Emu, 45 (2) (1945), 175, https://doi.org/10.1071/MU945174b. Details
- Scambler, Elinor C. and Austin, A. Frank jnr, 'A wonderful swamp: military ornithologists and others at Broomfield Swamp, Atherton Tablelands, 1914 - 1967', North Queensland naturalist, 51 (2021), 100-8, https://www.nqnat.org/_files/ugd/003377_12f7782839314e0cb0d4a6b42c2edc53.pdf. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 28 January 2025