The man who saved Lady Elliot Island
Don Adams, the man who saved Queensland's idyllic Lady Elliot Island, dies aged 93
Posted on 27.11.2019
Don Adams was an environmental pioneer who established Lady Elliot Island as a tourist destination and leaves behind a legacy that will shape Australian history.
The 93-year-old died in Hervey Bay last week, just three days shy of his 94th birthday, and tributes are flowing for the conservationist.
Mr Adams started a revegetation program in the 1960s to bring the Lady Elliot Island back to life after guano miners had left their mark 100 years earlier.
What once was a desolate rock in the Great Barrier Reef is now a lush island that brings tourists from all over the world.
People who knew Mr Adams say the island’s transformation is because of the groundwork he laid.
Key points:
- Don Adams was told he would never be anything but a cane farmer, but he is being remembered as a conservation legend
- He was instrumental in revegetating Lady Elliot Island, with the current custodian describing him as “an amazing man”
- Mr Adams has been recognised not just for his environmental efforts, but also his contributions to the aviation industry
Source
Jenae Jenkins
ABC News
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