Brian Clouston, Publisher and Conservationist, in the 1960s,
Photo © Dr E Clouston

The Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland notes with sadness the passing on Sunday 20 January 2008 of Mr Brian Clouston, renowned Queensland publisher and environmentalist, and the last surviving founder of the Society. Brian Clouston left a worthy legacy that members and other conservationists will value for many years to come.

Brian Clouston founded the groundbreaking Jacaranda Press in 1954 in Brisbane to produce educational books and material about Queensland, Australia and the natural environment. He went on to form the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland more than 45 years ago in 1962. Like the other three founders – poet Judith Wright, artist and writer Kathleen McArthur, and David Fleay, the naturalist – Brian Clouston was a passionate and influential individual with a genuine concern for conserving wildlife and its habitat so that future generations could enjoy the natural environment.

In July 1962, David Fleay wrote a joint letter to The Courier-Mail with Judith Wright and Kathleen McArthur calling for better education about Australia’s native fauna and flora to prevent its destruction.

In response, Brian Clouston offered to produce a magazine if an organisation was formed to back it. His offer proved to be the catalyst for the formation of the Society.

The resulting journal, Wildlife Australia Magazine, is still published today by the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland. It is now Australia's only high-quality, full colour general readership magazine devoted to Australian wildlife with contributions by Australian writers and photographers. The magazine is still totally independently produced with proceeds helping fund the conservation of our natural environment.

Out of this collaboration 45 years ago was born the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland, a society which has become synonymous with the conservation and protection of nature throughout Queensland. Today the society has over 3500 members and supporters across the State and continues to work for wildlife through community projects, education and lobbying Governments.

Brian Clouston was awarded the AM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 2006.

Find out more about the achievements of the Society since its founding.

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, call us on +61 7 3221 0194 or send us an email.