Gordon Binns (1 March 1899 – 24 September 1976) was an Australian bank manager and amateur

ornithologist Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...

, notable for his involvement with the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. He was Secretary of the organisation during the periods 1953–56 and 1959–63, and President from 1965–66.

Early life and career

Binns was born on 1 March 1899 in Yarraville, Victoria, and spent his boyhood years in the

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

townships of Great Western and Victoria.W.R. Wheeler (1977) "Obituaries: Gordon Binns", ''

Emu The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...

'', 77(2): 89-89Rosanne Walke
"Binns, Gordon (1899 - 1976)"
''Encyclopedia of Australian Science''. Published November 5, 1999. Accessed July 21, 2019. In 1914, after leaving school, he began working at the

State Savings Bank of Victoria The State Bank of Victoria was an Australian bank that existed from 1842 until 1990 when it was taken over by the Commonwealth Bank. It was owned by the Government of Victoria, State of Victoria. History A government-controlled savings bank had ...

. At age 17, during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he enlisted in the First Australian Imperial Force, as a member of the 2nd Australian Machine Gun Company. He was wounded in northern France on 10 August 1918, during the Australian attack on

Lihons Lihons is a Communes of France, commune in the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Lihons is situated east of Amiens, on the D337 road Population Places of interest The ...

, and spent more than a month in hospital recovering from his injuries. After the war, he remained in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

for two years, before returning to Australia and his employment at the State Savings Bank.

Natural history

After 1938, Binns served at several bank branches in rural Victoria, including Cobram (1938–144), Ouyen (1945–47) and

Terang Terang is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is in the Shire of Corangamite and on the Princes Highway south west of the state's capital, Melbourne. At the , Terang had a population of 1,824. At the 2001 census, T ...

(1948–50). During this period, he began writing about natural history, publishing "Notes for Birdland" in ''Savings Weekly'', the journal of the State Savings Bank. For 20 years, he published "The Out of Doors", a weekly column in the ''Terang Express'', using the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

Neophema. In 1943, he joined the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. He published several articles in the Union's flagship journal, ''

The Emu ''Emu'', subtitled ''Austral Ornithology'', is the peer-reviewed scientific journal of BirdLife Australia (formerly the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union). The journal was established in 1901 and is the oldest ornithological journal publis ...

'', including "Birds of Terang, South-western Victoria".Binns G. (1953
"Birds of Terang, south-western Victoria"
'' Emu-Austral Ornithology'' (September 1, 1953), 53(3): 211-21. In his final years with the State Savings Bank, Binns was manager at several suburban branches (1951–56), at

Horsham Horsham is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...

(1957–1960) and Box Hill (1961–64). During this period, he was also a prominent member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, serving as their Secretary from 1953–56 and again from 1959–63, and President from 1965–66.

Death and legacy

Binns died in Blackburn, Victoria on 24 September 1976, just a few months after the death of his wife, Ilma. He was survived by his three daughters, Ruth, Phyllis and Meredith, and his son Greg. In an obituary published in the journal ''

'', W.R. Wheeler wrote that "As one who worked with him on Council, I regarded his diligence and energy, particularly over his correspondence with members throughout Australia and overseas, as outstanding. He was truly one of the old school."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Binns, Gordon 1899 births 1976 deaths Australian ornithologists 20th-century Australian zoologists Military personnel from Victoria (state) Australian military personnel of World War I Australian bankers