Loftus-Hills, Clive (1885 - 1967)

Summary

Dr Loftus-Hills MBE DSc MAusIMM was Government Geologist in Tasmania from 1919 to 1923, having joined the Geological Survey of Tasmania in 1912. He made numerous reports on the stratigraphy and mineral resources of Tasmania, especially on coal and the zinc-lead ores in western Tasmania. In the 1923 restructure of the Department of Mines, Loftus- Hills was for a brief time Director of the Survey, based in Launceston. His relations with his Department heads were less than comfortable. When his disagreement with statements made by oil companies as to the extent of Tasmania's reserves precipitated an inquiry into his management of the Survey, it was recommended that his position be abolished. Loftus- Hills resigned. As a geological consultant for the next 15 years he worked in many parts of Australia and in Fiji. Between 1938 and 1946 he was Chief Chemist of the Commonwealth Department of Supply.

He was prominent in the campaign against the use of nuclear weapons immediately after the Second World War, and was Chairman of the Victorian Division, Australian Association of Scientific Workers.

The Loftus Hills Memorial Reserve, near Queenstown in Tasmania has been created due to its interesting geological features and is named in his honour.

Details

Chronology

1907

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Tasmania

1912 - November 1919

Career position - Assistant Government Geologist, Geological Survey of Tasmania, Tasmanian Department of Mines

1913

Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Tasmania

1916 - 1919

Military service - First Worls War. Lieutenant, Tunnelling Company, Australian Imperial Forces

1919

Career event - Foundation Councillor (Geography), Australian National Research Council

1919

Award - Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) - Army - Engineers - France

Nov 1919 - 1923

Career position - Government Geologist, Geological Survey of Tasmania, Department of Mines

1923

Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Tasmania [First doctorate awarded by the University. Sir Douglas Mawson was examiner]

1924

Award - David Syme Research Prize, University of Melbourne

1924 - 1938

Career position - Geological Consultant in Australia and Fiji

1938 - 1946

Career position - Chief Chemist, Commonwealth Department of Supply [Chief wartime technical officer on dangerous cargoes]

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Banks, Maxwell R., 'Loftus-Hills, Clive (1885-1967), geologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 10: 1891 - 1939 Lat-Ner, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1986), p. 132. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100123b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Bacon, Carol, 'Clive Loftus-Hills: an uncompromising geologist', Newsletter, Earth Sciences History Group, 45 (2018), 29-32. Details
• Loftus-Hills, Clive, 'The progress of geological research in Tasmania since 1902', Papers and proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 1902 (1921), 111-146, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10375393. Details

Resources

• CA 2001 Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, 'NAA: B2455, Hills L Lieutenant', B2455 First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=5455065. Details

Theses

• Hills, Loftus, 'The metallogenic epochs of Tasmania', DSc thesis, University of Tasmania, 1923, 93 pp. http://eprints.utas.edu.au/20828/. Details

See also

• Johns, R.K. ed., History and role of government geological surveys in Australia (Adelaide: South Australian Government Printer, 1976), 111 pp. Details