Barton, Frederick Charles Wesley   (1908 - 2003)

Born at Sperm Whale Head and registered in Bairnsdale on 25 November 1908; died 8 September 2003 and he is buried at Cranbourne.

He was the son of Frederick William Barton and Sarah Coward. He had two older sisters, Joyce Allison born in Sale in 1901 and Erica Wareham, born in Paynesville in 1902.

He was elected to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (FNCV) as an associate member in 1926, at the age of seventeen.

In April 1935 he wrote to the Club, informing them of the resignation of himself and his sister, because the effect of the Depression on farming had meant that they could no longer afford the subscriptions.

The Council, aware of Fred's active interest in natural history. was sympathetic and offered to send The Victorian Naturalist gratis, which Fred appreciated.

Conditions improved and Fred was re-elected as a full country member in May 1937, so apart from this brief two-year break, he was a member for seventy-seven years.

He remembered enjoyable bush rambles with T.S. Hart to whom I owed my early interest in and knowledge of the native flora. Others who had assisted him in his study of natural history included H.B. Williamson, Charles Barrett, A.D. Hardy. Edith Coleman and Hugh Stewart.

The Bartons lived at Paynesville and Fred's particular interest was in birds. His articles published in The Victorian Naturalist between 1926 and 1959 deal almost exclusively with birds, and the early ones are extracts from his diary.

In 1929 he was particularly pleased that a bird sanctuary had been established on Spermwhale Head, where the family owned a farm. This was sold in the 1950s to become part of the Lakes National Park.

Rotomah Island was also farmed by the Barton family, until this was sold in 1976 to extend the Lakes National Park.

The RAOU observatory was set up there in 1979, a development which must have given great satisfaction to a very keen naturalist and bird-lover.

Source: Extracted from:
David Allan, obituary, in The Victorian Naturalist Vol. 121(1) 2004 p.72
https://www.facebook.com/groups/gippslandhistory/posts/3666720540224613/
Portrait Photo: none found.

Collecting localities for 'Barton, F.C.W.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 178 specimens