N eville : Gerry , how long have you been involved in herpetology and how did you get started ?
Gerry : It started when I noticed a whole bunch of skinks when I had to clean up an overgrown bank at the family home . I was probably about 12 years old . Then I found a green gecko when clambering through the bush . I guess I really got involved when we moved to Sydney in 1965 and I found a bluetongue in the backyard of the house we purchased .
Neville : Where were you living up until then ? Gerry : Wellington , in New Zealand .
Neville : Were there people who encouraged and supported this initial passion or were you mainly on your own in your interest in reptiles ?
Gerry : Mainly on my own in NZ . While my parents didn ’ t actively encourage my interest they didn ’ t discourage it either .
Neville : Was your interest a broad-based one or were there particular species that captivated you ?
Gerry : It has always been a fairly broad-based one .
Neville : Being someone who liked reptiles it must have been exciting to come to Australia where there is such a wide range of species ?
Gerry : It certainly was and it didn ’ t take very long to come across the more common species of reptiles around Sydney .
Neville : Did you begin keeping reptiles and have you attained any academic qualifications ?
Gerry : Yes I started to keep a few animals . In those days it was a matter of putting together your own cages - checking out council cleanups for cracked aquariums or ripping the guts out of discarded TVs , etc . Cages were in all shapes and sizes ; pretty primitive by today ’ s standards . Of course there were no books on reptile keeping at that time . No , I haven ’ t attained any academic qualifications .
Neville : Did you gravitate to other people with a similar interest once you came here or did it take a while to find other people with the same passion ?
Gerry : The only way to learn was to meet up with other people and talk with them . I found out about the AHS and quickly joined up . That exposed you to a range of reptile keepers , some good , some bad , but it was a very valuable learning experience .
Neville : When did you develop into a reptile photographer , or was this always part of your interest in herpetology ?
‘ In those days you made your own cages from cracked aquariums or by ripping the
aquariums guts out of discarded TVs .’
Gerry : It really wasn ’ t until I was working on the NSW field guide that I got serious about photographing reptiles . However , my son Geoff was always a better photographer , so I used to get the animals and set them up while he photographed them . It didn ’ t matter whether it was a Mulga Snake or a blue-tongue , he concentrated on the pic and I concentrated on the animal . As it happened , no one got bitten .
Neville : Obviously for publications that are based upon identification , the reptiles have to be photographed in such a way that their unique characteristics are clearly shown . Does this mean a lot of ‘ setting up ’ of the animals and have there been any that are particularly difficult to photograph ?
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