Obituaries Australia

It is just over a year since Geoff [Geoffrey David] Pople passed away in Sydney on 15 November 2001 at the age of 69, after some years of ill health. Geoff, like me, was a relative newcomer to the ranks of the Australian Forest History Society, and our attendance at the Perfumed Pineries Conference at Coonabarabran in November 2000 was a most enjoyable experience for us both. Of course Geoff was well known to many of the members of AFHS because of his long and influential association with forestry, particularly in New South Wales. Geoff became a cadet with the NSW Forestry Commission in 1949, attended Sydney University and the Australian Forestry School, and was awarded the Schlich Medal for Silviculture on graduation in 1954. He was stationed at many localities in NSW during his career, including Bellangry, Oberon, Bombala, Muswellbrook, Coffs Harbour and Casino. Geoff spent two years of travel and study in the United States in the late 1950s. He was transferred to Sydney in 1978 and retired as Chief of the Management and Planning Division in 1990 after more than 40 years of service.

Geoff was very active in the Institute of Foresters; he was National Secretary from 1979 to 1983 and was made a Fellow in 1985. Geoff was a regular traveller to interstate and branch meetings of the IFA and always contributed to the proceedings. He loved bushwalking and also travelled widely to less accessible parts of the world such as Patagonia and Tashkent. This was never easy for Geoff. His arthritis meant that he had to rise early and spend an hour performing warm up exercises before breakfast. Of course he was rather determined too.

Geoff is survived by his wife Olga (they met in Oberon in 1956), their children Chris and Lynette, and their families. He made a great contribution to forestry and we all miss him.