Hunter, William (Bill)   (1893 - 1971)

Born in Tatura, Vic, in 1893; died in Bairnsdale, Vic, in January 1971.

William was the second of six children to parents who owned a drapery store.

After schooling in Tatura, William won a scholarship to do technical training, becoming an apprenticed surveyor at age 18 years.

Even in childhood, William showed evidence of several talents which were to serve him well throughout life — he loved drawing, he had keen observational skills including an eye for detail, and he loved botany.

Along with his skills at drawing and draftsmanship, William also developed an interest in photography. Sadly, none of his photographs appear to have survived.

After enlistment in November 1915, William joined a mining and tunnelling company and served with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion. The army took him to England and France (in March 1917) where he served until the end of the War.

After the War, he was able to attend the Air Survey School at Southampton for six months in 1919, also doing some touring and photographing around England and Scotland as well. He then returned to his profession of surveying for the Victorian government.

During the 1930s, William's parents left their business at Tatura and moved to Bairnsdale (possibly to join William). Here they lived until their deaths in 1937 and 1949.

At about this time, William's interest in botany was encouraged by having met several keen naturalists and he became a member of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria. This passion for botany fitted in perfectly with his profession as a surveyor in some of the most remote areas of Victoria. For instance, while surveying for potential settlement blocks at Suggan Buggan and Ingeegoodbee for about two years 1938/39, he made extensive botanical collections. He even compiled an annotated census of all known native plants in East Gippsland.

One of his contacts was the well-known naturalist, Norman Wakefield who later honoured William by suggesting that the Snowy River Wattle be named after him, ( Acacia hunteriana now A. boormanii).

His name is honoured in the 'William Hunter Flora Reserve' at Marlo.

After his mother's death in 1949, William moved from Bairnsdale to Marlo, and in 1954 he built a small cottage in the bush on what was then the northern outskirts of Mallacoota. Here he lived until his failing health led to his move to the Bairnsdale Home and Hospital where he died shortly afterwards in January 1971, aged 77 years.

Source: Willis, J.H. (1949) Botanical pioneers in Victoria - III. Victorian Naturalist 66:123-128;
pers com Christopher Parker 11/7/2008;
http://orbosthistory.com.au/newsletters/142%20N%20-%20William%20(Bill)%20Hunter,%20surveyor%20and%20botanical%20collector%20-%20May%20Leatch.pdf
Portrait Photo: 1918, Orbost History site above.

Collecting localities for 'Hunter, W.' from AVH (2023)

Data from 921 specimens in National Herbarium of Victoria