| AdminHistory | A lecture by Professor H C Richards to the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Queensland) in 1922 was the impetus which led to the setting up of the Great Barrier Reef Committee (Australia). Its task was to investigate the origin, growth and natural resources of the Reef, and reports on physiographical and geological topics were published in 1925 and 1928.
As there were few marine biologists in Australia at the time, the Committee approached Professor J Stanley Gardiner of the University of Cambridge for help, and as a result the Great Barrier Reef Committee (England) was set up in 1927 to mount a biological expedition. Funds were obtained from various sources including the Empire Marketing Board and the Australian Government. Charles Maurice Yonge (1899-1986) was selected as leader of the expedition, which worked on the reef from July 1928 to July 1929.
The British Museum (Natural History) became the home of the principal collections, and took responsibility for editing and publishing the scientific reports.
References:
British Museum (Natural History), 1930-1968. Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-1929. Scientific reports. 7 volumes
Yonge, C M, 1930. A year on the Great Barrier Reef. London
Name: Yonge, Sir Charles Maurice, 1899-1986, knight |