Harry Butler

Now his legacy is being remembered with Murdoch University's Harry Butler Institute. The new research and education facility brings science, business and the community together to address environmental problems. He spoke highly of how Indigenous people cared for the land, having extensive knowledge of indigenous culture and vast experience with various language groups throughout Western Australia.

Harry Butler studied at Claremont Teachers College, Western Colorado University and Northam Senior High School. The recorded working language is English. Distinctions recorded are Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Australian of the Year, Australian National Living Treasure and Officer of the Order of Australia.

• Name — Harry Butler • Honorific Suffix — AO CBE • Birth Name — William Henry Butler • Born — 25 March 1930 • Birthplace — Perth, Western Australia, Australia • Died — 11 December 2015 • Place of death — Perth, Western Australia • Education — Claremont Teachers College Western State College • Occupation — Environmental consultant television presenter • Employer — ABC • Known for — Environmentalism, songwriting • Television — In the Wild – ABC Television

Butler was born on 25 March 1930 in Perth, Western Australia. He attended Claremont Teachers College in Western Australia and later the Western State College in the United States. Butler co-wrote "Sun Arise" with fellow Western Australian Rolf Harris; the song reached the Top 10 in the UK in 1962. Butler was a populariser of science and natural history for both child and adult audiences, especially through the ABC television series In the Wild, which led to him being named Australian of the Year in 1979. He also authored the books In The Wild, In the Wild (Part II) and Looking at the Wild. As conservation consultant to the Barrow Island oilfield and many other projects, Butler played a major role in environmental conservation and restoration in Australia. In 1968, he participated in the fifth of the Harold Hall Australian ornithological collecting expeditions. He lectured, and was honoured, at museums in Western Australia, Canada, and the United States. Butler was a supporter of development projects such as mining, working with corporations and state governments as an environmental consultant. Butler lost some popularity with his support of the construction of the Franklin River Dam in the early 1980s. He died of cancer, aged 85, at a hospital in Perth on 11 December 2015.

Butler received some backlash for not supporting Kakadu's listing as a national park "After he argued that Stage Two of the Kakadu National Park should not be included in the World Heritage list, saying the area was "biologically degraded", he was dropped from Australian Bicentennial Authority advertising." referring to the area as a "clapped-out Holden"

A species of mulga snake, Pseudechis butleri, and a spider, Synothele butleri, are named after Butler. Three species of Australian lizards are named after Butler: Delma butleri, Morethia butleri, and Notoscincus butleri. Two species of Australian lizards are named after Butler and his wife Margaret: Ctenophorus butlerorum and Eremiascincus butlerorum. Two species of Australian reptiles are named after Margaret: a snake, Anilios margaretae; and a lizard, Diporiphora margaretae.

Harry Butler is recorded with the occupation non-fiction writer. Recorded as having studied at Claremont Teachers College, Western Colorado University and Northam Senior High School.