CALABY, John Henry (1922-1998)

Naturalist and Ornithologist
Ballarat School of Mines

John Calaby was born at Creswick on 19 October 1922. He obtained a Diploma in Applied Chemistry at the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) in 1942. Calaby  joined the CSIRO in 1945 as an Experimental Officer, then  the Wildlife Survey Section when it was established in 1949. From 1972 to 1973 he played a significant part in the Alligator River Region Environmental Study.

Described in a CSIRO media release in 1998 as one of Australia's greatest biologists, John Calaby's long and illustrious career in wildlife biology resulted in a number of animals named after him, including a pebble mouse, several parasitic mites, a fleas and a masked owl.

With over 200 publications to his name between 1949 and 1996 John Caliby was also the recipient of many awards, He was made an Officer, Order of Australia, and in 1993 the American Society of Mammalogists elected him to Honorary Membership. A new library at the Division of Wildlife and Ecology was named the John Calaby Resources Centre in 1998.

Caption: Ballarat School of Mines Magazine Committee, 1941
Back Row L-R: R. Spence, I. Grant, I Boustead, K. Palmer, E. Marshman.
Centre Row L-R: A. Stevens, M. Dark, J. Elliott, J. Martin, G. Myers, M. Pierce, J. Gibbs, W. Hender.
Front Row L-R: P. Wells, G. Mounter, P. Martin, JOHN CALABY (editor), Dr Pound, Mr Mein, Mr Proctor, L. Siemering.

This biography is currently being prepared by Clare Gervasoni, June 2008, updated June 2021. If you are able to contribute please email c.gervasoni@federation.edu.au