Collection 2020/3 - Lindsay Crawford Collection

Lindsay Dinham Crawford OAM (1926-2017) lived on the family farm in the north-west until the age of nine, when he moved to Hobart to attend the Hutchins School. His father built a house backing onto Lambert Reserve, where Lindsay developed his lifelong interest in flora and fauna while hiking in the bush. His father’s health forced a move to Western Australia where Lindsay completed his education at Scotch College in 1944. After the family’s return to Tasmania the following year, he studied science at the University of Tasmania and graduated BSc in 1948. He went on to further study in entomology at Sydney University, before starting his first job as Biologist at the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston.
He was an active member of the Launceston Walking Club from 1950-55 as secretary, contributor to the Skyline magazine and walks leader. He also began his long involvement with the Youth Hostels Association (YHA) – volunteering and assisting in the formation of a Tasmanian branch.
Those interests continued in Victoria. Joining the Victorian National Parks Association in 1960, he was a highly regarded member who made submissions and wrote to newspapers advocating for the protection of national parks, including the creation of the Alpine National Park. He received the Order of Australia Medal in 2001 for service to the community – particularly through the Victorian YHA.