Person
Wheeler, John Russell (Jack) (1909 - 1984)
- Born
- 1909
Coleraine, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 1984
Geelong, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Conservationist, Naturalist and Ornithologist
Summary
Jack Wheeler had a varied career with the Victorian Railways, and the Australian Imperial Force Signals Corp during WWII. After being discharged he joined the Victorian Department of Agriculture as a dairy inspector in Ballarat, remaining with the Department until retiring in 1974. Wheeler was a keen naturalist, being particularly interested in birds (as was his brother Roy). He was involved in CSIRO bird banding programs for over 30 years. Wheeler was the inaugural Secretary of the Field Naturalists Club of Ballarat from 1952 to 1957. The following year he moved to Geelong. However his interest in the natural history of the Ballarat region continued for a further 25 years: he wrote a regular column "Nature notes" in the Ballarat newspaper Courier. After the move Wheeler engaged with local groups as he had in Ballarat. A foundation member of the Geelong Field Naturalists Club in 1961, he served as President from 1965 to 1971. Other organisation of which he was a member included the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve (Chairman 1968 - 1981), Bird Observers Club, Royal Australasian Ornithological Union, and Anglesea, Aireys Inlet Society for the Protection of Flora and Fauna. In 1977 Wheeler was awarded the Australian Natural History Medallion.
Details
Chronology
- 1952 - 1957
- Career position - Secretary, Field Naturalists Club of Ballarat
- 1958
- Life event - Moved to Geelong
- 1958 - 1983
- Career position - Author of "Nature notes" in Ballarat newspaper Courier
- 1959 - 1984
- Award - Life Member, Field Naturalists Club of Ballarat
- 1961 -
- Career position - Inaugural Member, Geelong Field Naturalists Club
- 1965 - 1971
- Career position - President, Geelong Field Naturalists Club
- 1968 - 1981
- Career position - Chairman, Ocean Grove Nature Reserve
- 1974
- Life event - Retired from the Victorian Department Agriculture
- 1977
- Award - Australian Natural History Medallion, Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria
- 1978
- Award - British Empire Medal (BEM)
Related entries
Sibling
Published resources
Books
- Thomas, Roger and Wheeler, Jack, Birds of the Ballarat region: a handbook (Linton, Vic.: R. Thomas, 1983), 112 pp. Details
- Wheeler, Jack, The care of sick, injured or orphaned native birds and animals (Geelong: Geelong Field Naturalists Club, 1976), 20 pp. Details
Edited Books
- Wheeler, Jack ed., Introduction to the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve (Belmont, Vic.: Ocean Grove Nature Reserve Committee of Management, 1978), 10 pp. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 19 May 2026