MUSEUM HONOURS FOR QUEENSLAND NATURALIST AND SURVEYOR

One of Australia’s foremost naturalists, Dr Geoff Monteith, of St Lucia, and highly respected historian, Mr Bill Kitson, of Caboolture, have been recognised by the Queensland Museum.

The two men were presented with the Queensland Museum Medal by Arts Minister Rod Welford. The Queensland Museum Medals began in 1986 to honour individuals who have made a major contribution in a field relevant to the Museum.

“Dr Monteith has been a major force in collecting and surveying rainforest invertebrates in Australia and the South Pacific since the early ‘60s,” Mr Welford said.

“His extensive fieldwork resulted in more than 750 new species being named and many of his collections are housed at the Queensland Museum as a unique study resource for researchers worldwide. “

“Mr Kitson has made an exceptional contribution to the State’s surveying heritage and has built up the collection in the State’s Lands, Mapping and Surveying Museum to be the best of its kind in the world.

“The significant contributions of Dr Monteith and Mr Kitson highlight a great strength of the Queensland Museum – its many world class researchers who make an enormous contribution to the SmartState.”

Chair of the Queensland Museum Board, Anne Jones, said the awarding of the Queensland Museum Medals commemorated the anniversary of the founding of the Queensland Museum on 20 January, 1862.

Research scientist and manager of the Museum’s Molecular Identities Laboratory, Dr Jessica Worthington Wilmer, was also announced as the recipient of the Queensland Museum scholarship.

She will undertake a study trip to New Zealand’s University of Canterbury to use advanced molecular genetic technologies and analysis methods.

Media contact: Greg Milne on 32371000