The late Jack Douglas was a geologist, palaeobotanist and sportsman. He was a major figure in the Geological Survey of Victoria, co-editing The Geology of Victoria and overseeing production of the first 1:250000 geological map series. He gained international recognition as a palaeobotanist and palynologist. In his student days he played a couple of seasons for Hawthorn at centre half back, and represented Australia in international athletics tournaments. After beating John Landy in a 440 yard race he almost made the 1956 Olympic team. He was a long-serving member and president of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and a great family man. This interview was conducted with the participation of Doug McCann.

This interview © Copyright Jack Douglas, Doug McCann & Craig Robertson, 2004. Note: An article based on this interview was published in VAST (Voices of Australian Science & Technology), by The Royal Society of Victoria. Obituaries for Jack Douglas were published in The Age 1 March, 2007, by Anne Douglas, and The Victorian Geologist, April 2007 newsletter, by Fons Vandenberg et al, published by the Geological Society of Australia, Victoria Division.

Music in this podcast includes extracts from the following recordings, courtesy of Move Records:
Debussy Mouvement from the suite Images (I) played by pianist Stephen McIntyre, on his album The Impressionists © 2000; D. Scarlatti Sonata in C (K. 420) played by Jacqueline Ogeil on her album The Virtuoso Harpsichord © 1995; Debussy La fille aux cheveux de lin played in its entirety by violinist Miwako Abe accompanied by David McSkimming, piano, on their album Poeme: Music for the romantic violin © 2000.

This podcast also includes my two regular themes:
Introduction and final announcements: Prelude from J.S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in C, Book 1, BWV846, played by Ronald Farren-Price, from his album Reflections, courtesy of Move Records © 1993
Prelude to the section "In my study": a movement from G.F. Handel: Suite No. 5 in E major, played by Elizabeth Anderson on her album The Convict Harpsichordist, also courtesy of Move Records © 2003

In my study: notes on collecting stones; favourite stones; geology as literature; see In my study No.4 (2 Mb; 4' 23"). See: Basin and Range by John McPhee (Noonday Press, New York, 1980).

Jack Douglas: selected bibliography
Geology of Victoria, eds. J.G. Douglas (major contributor) and J.A. Ferguson, Geological Society of Australia Inc., Victoria Division, 1976, revised edition 1988
The Mesozoic Floras of Victoria, J.G. Douglas, Geological Survey of Victoria Memoirs 28 and 29, 1969, 1973
The Otway Basin of South-eastern Australia, eds. J.G. Douglas (contributor) and H. Wopfner, Special Bulletin Geol. Surveys South Aust. and Victoria, 1971.
What Fossil Plant is that? A guide to the ancient floras of Victoria, J.G. Douglas, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, 1983
Atlas of Victoria (Ed. J.S. Duncan): Chapter 4: Geology and Chapter 33: Sport and recreation (with D.C. Mercer), Government of Victoria, 1982
The Nature of Warrnambool, J.G. Douglas (editor, compiler, major contributor), Warrnambool Field Naturalists Club Inc., 2004
Jack Douglas also edited and published various conference proceedings, geological maps, dozens of scientific papers and articles in scientific and popular journals; his main subjects were geology, palaeobotany and palynology, palaeontology and palaeoclimatology.

All material, unless otherwise stated, is © Copyright Craig Robertson, 2007

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