Archive of past Queensland Entomologists
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David Ord ATHERTON (1907-1963)
Born in Mareeba in 1907, and spent early years in Mossman. He was a foundation member of the Agricultural Science course at the University of Queensland and the first to major in Entomology. He was awarded BScAgr in 1930, and a MScAgr in 1936 as the first postgraduate student supervised by F.A. Perkins. Served the Queensland Department of Agriculture as entomologist in Nambour, Biloela, Bowen, Cairns, Atherton and Toowoomba. He worked on a variety of pests when insecticides were limited and agronomic controls were necessary, and published on tobacco pests. In World War Two enlisted in December 1941 as a Captain. He worked on malaria vector behaviour in New Guinea, and with D. F. Waterhouse as part of a research group working on repellent chemicals for protection against malaria mosquitoes. Promoted to Major in 1943, and Lieutenant Colonel, when he commanded the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit, discharging in October, 1945. He became Queensland Director of Agriculture in 1951, and Director of Tropical Agriculture in 1954, his final headquarters being in Mareeba. At the time of his death in November 1963, he was Chairman of a committee appointed by the Premier to investigate farming problems on the Atherton Tablelands. He served as President of Entomological Society of Queensland in 1950. Photo: Capt. D. O. Atherton at Lalipipi, PNG, 1943.
Ref: Obituary D. O. Atherton. News Bulletin, Entomological Society of Queensland, 1: 6-7 (March 1964).