Michael Chamberlain

Michael Leigh Chamberlain (born 1944) is an Australian writer, retired teacher and former pastor, best known due to the 1980 death of his daughter Azaria as the result of a dingo attack whilst camping near Uluru/Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory, Australia. When Chamberlain's then-wife Lindy was falsely convicted of the baby's murder in 1982, he was convicted of being an accessory after the fact.^[1] The findings of a 1987 Royal Commission ultimately exonerated the couple, but not before they were subjected to sensationalist reporting and intense public scrutiny.^[2][3]

Chamberlain currently resides in Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia with his second wife Ingrid.^[4]

Early life and pastoral career

Chamberlain was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, the eldest son of Ivan and Greta Chamberlain.^[2] His father served as a warrant officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II, while his mother was involved with the administration of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in southern New Zealand.^[2]

Educated at Lincoln High School and Christchurch Boys' High School, Chamberlain commenced studies at the University of Canterbury but after converting to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1965, left and migrated to Australia.^[2][5] He subsequently studied at Avondale College in Cooranbong and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Theology) degree in 1969.^[2] He married Lindy Murchison the same year, after meeting her in 1968.^[5]

After graduating, Chamberlain worked as a Seventh-day Adventist minister in Tasmania, Australia, where Lindy Chamberlain gave birth to two children - Aidan (born 2 October 1973) and Regan (born 16 April 1976).^[2] In 1977 the family moved to Queensland, Australia, where Chamberlain produced and presented a radio programme called The Good Life, a commentary on lifestyle and culture throughout the northern parts of the state.^[2] The Chamberlain's third child, daughter Azaria, was born in Mount Isa on 11 June 1980.^[3]

Death of Azaria

In August 1980, the Chamberlain family were to holiday in Darwin, Northern Territory, where Michael intended on fishing for barramundi.^[5] Lindy Chamberlain, however, had visited Uluru when she was 16 and wished to visit again, so the family travelled there with the intention of camping three days before continuing on to Darwin.^[5] The family had several encounters with dingoes after making camp at Uluru, including on the night of 17 August when Chamberlain fed one a piece of crust.^[1] Shortly before 8:00pm, Lindy Chamberlain put Azaria to bed in their tent and returned to the campfire. After crying out at about 8:00pm, Azaria disappeared from their tent, never to be seen again.^[3]

Investigators observed paw prints on the floor of the tent^[1] and bloodstained clothing belonging to the child was later discovered amongst rocks near the base of Uluru.^[3] The coronial inquest in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, in 1981 concluded that the baby had been taken by a dingo, however this finding was overturned by another inquest in Darwin in 1982.^[1][3] Lindy Chamberlain was subsequently tried for murder and given a life sentence, whilst Michael was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and given an eighteen-month suspended sentence.^[1][5]

During her imprisonment in Darwin, Lindy Chamberlain gave birth to the couple's fourth child, Kahlia (born 17 November 1982).^[6] Two weeks later, Chamberlain was awarded a Master of Arts degree through Andrews University.^[2] He later attributed his perseverance in studying for the degree during this difficult period as motivated by anger towards the Northern Territory government.^[5]

The final resolution of the case was triggered by a chance discovery. In early 1986, English tourist David Brett fell to his death from Uluru during an evening climb. Because of the vast size of the rock and the scrubby nature of the surrounding terrain, it was eight days before Brett's remains were discovered, lying below the bluff where he had lost his footing and in an area full of dingo lairs. As police searched the area, looking for missing bones that might have been carried off by dingoes, they discovered a small item of clothing. It was quickly identified as the crucial missing piece of evidence from the Chamberlain case—Azaria's missing matinee jacket.

The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory ordered Lindy Chamberlain's immediate release and the case was reopened. A 1987 Royal Commission examined the case against the Chamberlains and the science behind key forensic evidence was challenged.^[7] On 15 September 1988, the Northern Territory Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously overturned all convictions against Lindy and Michael Chamberlain.^[1][8] The exoneration was based on a rejection of the two key points of the prosecution's case—particularly the alleged fetal haemoglobin evidence—and of bias and invalid assumptions made during the initial trial.^[5]

Later life and teaching career

Following their exoneration, the Chamberlains' relationship deteriorated and they divorced in 1991.^[9] Three years later, Chamberlain married Ingrid Bergner and in 1996 they had a daughter named Zahra.^[2]

In 2002, Chamberlain was conferred with a Doctor of Philosophy (education) degree by the University of Newcastle for his thesis entitled "The changing role of Ellen White in Seventh-Day Adventism with reference to sociocultural standards at Avondale College".^[10] Also in 2002, he graduated from Avondale College with a Bachelor of Teaching degree,^[2] qualifying him to teach high school English and history.^[5][6]

The following year, Chamberlain stood as a Liberal candidate for the seat of Lake Macquarie in the New South Wales parliamentary election, achieving a 5.2% swing against sitting member Jeff Hunter.^[2] However, the swing was not enough to claim the seat and Chamberlain went on to accept a three-year teaching post at an Aboriginal high school in Brewarrina, New South Wales.^[2][5] While living there, Chamberlain was twice assaulted by a man accusing him of murdering Azaria.^[5]

Chamberlain returned to Cooranbong in 2006 and taught at Gosford High School until 2008, when he retired.^[2][5][6] He is now focusing on writing professionally, with two books under way.^[2]

References

External links

• Biography on Michael Chamberlain's website
• Biography of Azaria Chamberlain by the Australian National University.