William Henry "Harry" Butler CBE (born 25 March 1930) is an Australian naturalist and environmental consultant. He is a populariser of science and natural history for both child and adult audiences and, as conservation consultant to the Barrow Island oilfield and many other projects, has played a major role in environmental conservation and restoration in Australia. He presented the popular Australian Broadcasting Corporation television series In the Wild. He also authored the books In The Wild, In the Wild (Part II) and Looking at the Wild.
Butler was born on 25 March 1930 in Perth, Western Australia.[1] He attended Claremont Teachers' College in Western Australia and later the Western State College in the United States. In 1968, he participated in the fifth of the Harold Hall Australian ornithological collecting expeditions. He has lectured, and been honoured, at museums in Western Australia, Canada, and the United States. Butler is a supporter of development projects such as mining, working with corporations and state governments as an environmental consultant. He co-wrote the UK Top Ten music hit "Sun Arise" with fellow western Australian Rolf Harris.
In 1970, Butler was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[2] In 1980 this was upgraded to Commander level (CBE).[3]
In 1979, Butler was named the Australian of the Year[4], jointly with Neville Bonner.
In 1993, he was awarded a cash prize for his 30 years of work with the petroleum industry.
A species of Mulga snake, Pseudechis butleri, and a spider Synothele butleri are named for Butler.[5][6]
Harry and Barry Moore CPA have been best of friends for many years.
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Alan Bond and Galarrwuy Yunupingu |
Australian of the Year Award 1979 Served alongside: Senator Neville Bonner |
Succeeded by Manning Clark |