Person
Brittlebank, Thomas (1865? - 1948)
- Born
- 1865?
Winstone, Derbyshire, United Kingdom - Died
- 1948
Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Naturalist and Ornithologist
Summary
Thomas Brittlebank was a much respected ornithologist who came to Australia with his family via the New Hebrides, Queensland and Tasmania, settling at Myrniong near Bacchus Marsh in Victoria in the early 1890s. Here he was a farmer with his brother Charles. After the farm was sold, Thomas became the headmaster of the Migrant Training Centre at Elcho near Geelong, where migrants were trained in Australian agricultural methods. He was later involved in agricultural education at Warrnambool. Thomas and Charles made extensive studies of the natural history of the Werribee Gorge district to the west of Melbourne. The pair made the first comprehensive list of the birds of the area. Thomas was a keen collector of birds eggs and travelled throughout Victoria and as far as Queensland on his collecting trips. His collection was donated to the National Museum of Victoria. Thomas was a talented artist, particularly of landscapes. He was an active member of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria.
Details
Chronology
- c. 1893
- Life event - Settled in Victoria
Related entries
Published resources
Journal Articles
- Hewish, Marilyn, 'Historical Notes on Charles and Thomas Brittlebank, Pioneer Naturalists in the Werribee Gorge District, West of Melbourne', The Victorian naturalist, 123 (5) (2006), 314-317. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 27 August 2024