Vale Wayne Lawler

Exceptional wildlife photographer and conservationist Wayne Lawler leaves a giant legacy for Australia.

WAYNE LAWLER captured wildlife – from behind the lens – but his own life was devoted to seeing Australian wildlife run free and thrive.

Apart from a life’s treasure trove of extraordinary Australian wildlife images – many of which have assisted scientific understanding of rare species – Wayne Lawler’s work has inspired generations of wildlife photographers and enthusiasts to become involved in conservation.

Lawler was a man of action who believed that images of wildlife played a crucial role in their protection. He not only encouraged young photographers to follow his lead, he also established an annual bursary in 2010 to assist them to develop.

That annual grant to assist wildlife photographers is being continued through Wildlife Queensland, thanks to an endowment fund generously established by Wayne Lawler earlier this year. 

What many of Lawler’s followers and beneficiaries may not be aware of, as they admire his images, is that many were taken on one particular natural bush property on the Western Downs of Queensland, 70km south-west of Dalby. It is 30 hectares of high biodiversity and conservation value.

The property is named Weranga Scarps and it was Wayne Lawler’s own private, untouched, escape haven – until he donated it several years ago to the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland’s Wildlife Land Fund Ltd (WLFL), to ensure the safe-keeping of its unique habitat and wildlife mix, for generations to come.

The area supports a complexity of vegetation communities and abundant wildlife, including the glossy black-cockatoo, yakka skink, golden-tailed gecko, and koala. Various eucalyptus and angophoras predominate the different forests and woodlands with shrubby or grassy understoreys. Acacias and she-oaks are conspicuous in certain ecosystems. Dense calytrix heathlands occur on ephemeral wet areas, according to the Wildlife Land Fund, which is monitoring wildlife there and working to preserve and grow the various habitats.

In fact, the Wildlife Land Fund has just purchased a 10ha property beside Weranga Scarps to help expand the unique habitat – and they were planning to invite Wayne Lawler to the dedication ceremony when they were advised of his untimely death.

“I wish I was advising of the registration of Lot 61 RP 187727, another 10ha to be added to Weranga Scarps with Wayne by my side,” wrote Des Boyland, secretary of the Wildlife Land Fund, in his announcement to members.  With the help of private donors, the property was settled last month and is now part of Weranga Scarps.

“While the land is being acquired, Wayne is not here to see his dream realised. Life can be so unfair at times. Wayne donated Weranga Scarps to the Wildlife Land Fund and as generous as that was, it is but a small fragment of Wayne’s contribution to the conservation and protection of our wildlife.”

Lawler worked as a photographer for Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) from 2008 until November 2020.

“Typical of Wayne, he had volunteered for AWC prior to his employment with them,” Des Boyland, who is also the programs and campaigns manager for Wildlife Queensland said. “As a result of his engagement, wildlife and their habitat Australia-wide was captured in the sharp focus of his lens. Without doubt, Wayne’s skill with his camera and his generosity contributed to the great success AWC is today. This statement applies equally to WLFL.

“Wayne was a great supporter of Wildlife Land Fund using his brilliant photographic skills to record wildlife on our various holdings forever and he even participated in working bees at (other land fund properties) Witta and the Neil Holloway Reesville Nature Refuges. Of course, there are many wonderful images from his beloved Weranga Scarps as well as newly acquired) Lot 61 that ensures the entire scarp is captured.

“His care and passion for nature conservation photography was clearly demonstrated when he established an annual grants program for budding photographers back in 2010. In 2019, Wayne established a trust with Australian Unity and dispersal of funds from that trust will ensure the grant program will continue.

“Nowadays, Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland proudly operates and administers that grant program with the funds provided from the established trust,” Mr Boyland said.

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A natural success

Raised in the Brisbane suburb of St Lucia and at bayside Redcliffe, Wayne Lawler started his working life as an apprentice with Press Etching, where he leaned to process film, colour balance images and steadily develop his passion for photography.

After completing a diploma course in environmental science, he worked for CSIRO prior to completing a Masters Degree in Resource Science at the University of New England.

Lawler always considered himself to be a wildlife photographer, starting his own environmental photo library, ECOPIX, Australia’s first. He was also responsible for creating Australia’s largest environmental still photo library, of more than 10,000 images, after joining the Australian Wildlife Conservancy

“His contribution to the protection and conservation of wildlife was very significant through his work with AWC and participation with WLFL, his financial generosity, and his brilliant outstanding photography that will live on forever,” Wildlife Queensland’s Des Boyland said.

In tribute, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy wrote, “Wayne’s vast catalogue, comprising tens of thousands of images of some of Australia’s rarest species and most spectacular landscapes, is a legacy that will continue to inspire for many years to come. His photos are a lasting tribute to Wayne, a true hero for Australia’s wildlife and wild places.”

Wayne Lawler was born in Brisbane on January 13, 1956 and passed away peacefully on May 31, 2021, aged 65, after battling illness for six months.

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