MacKENZIE, Duncan OAM Duncan MacKenzie of Stonyfell, South Australia, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on 8 June 2009 for his service to the environment through Birds Australia, Gluepot Reserve, and to the community.
Duncan MacKenzie (Ad Astra, 2010)
Duncan was educated at The Geelong College from 1950 to 1956 and upon completion of his education, commenced employment at Ford Motor Company as the Manager of Systems and Data Processing. Duncan worked in the Systems and Data area for numerous employers throughout his career, while also taking on positions as a Senior Research Scientist for Australian Antarctic Research Expeditions and the Mawson Institute for Antarctic Research.
Duncan has always had a keen interest in the environment and wildlife and has been a member of Birds Australia for more than 50 years. He is involved in numerous environmental groups including Ecotourism Australia, of which he is currently Chairman, Riverland Tourism Association and the Nature Foundation of South Australia. Duncan's involvement with the Birds Australia Gluepot Reserve began in 1996 when he became involved in negotiations for purchase of the property. Duncan was the Secretary of the Reserve from 1997, becoming Chairman in 2000, a position he has held ever since.
Duncan said he was extremely proud of what the volunteer management committee have achieved at Gluepot, which is Australia's largest community-managed and operated conservation reserve. ' Gluepot Reserve is home to 18 nationally threatened species of birds, 53 species of reptiles and 12 species of bats and is one of the few areas in the world that supports such a concentration of threatened species,' Duncan said. 'The Reserve is extremely significant and is providing an international model to show that sustainable use of the landscape is both feasible and desirable. The dedicated team of volunteers come from all states of Australia, and overseas, which again demonstrates the significance and interest in what we are doing at Gluepot. 'It is humbling and an honour to receive an 0AM for a service to the community that I thoroughly enjoy and am truly passionate about,' he said.Duncan has served the community in many other ways over the years, including as Chairman of the South Australia Tourism Industry Council, State Chairman of the National Technology Council, Chairman of the Child Protection Week Committee and National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse, and International District Governor for Australia of Kiwanis International. Duncan was awarded a Pride of Australia Medal in 2007 and was the City of Burnside's Australia Day Citizen of the Year in 2004. Duncan has penned over 400 articles, papers and books and lectured internationally on his areas of expertise and interest. He has also received numerous awards, both nationally and internationally, for his work in these areas.
Sources: Ad Astra June 2010 p38.