Willi one or WO helpers lie earned 



on ihe world Bitfl Day coiaww sw 

 this isbsprtfttiflfl had fcM*n started. Hi> 

 dni.es ami iajtes of all Ms etbtsejva- 

 {iocs were mfttJailously kflpi' 



In 1945, wiili a lew Otjipr onthti 

 si.isis, he was instrumental m lunn 

 ir „j (he PowUlOd t : "'ld Naturalists 

 CUlb, a Club which is still flourish- 



'"In 1946 Noel I cainionth initiated 

 a move loi all SO.000 acre PorCSI 

 |>..rk on ihc lower t.kiulj: river 

 After ntnny years 61 effort ami frus- 

 tration a 22,00(1 acre National Park 

 was finally crcaied hv act of I'ailia 

 mcnl in laic \'>W learmonlh 

 Ctcek. one of the decks ol Ihc 

 Moleside system, wilhin the Park, 

 henrs his name. 



In l9$5 he stalled another move 

 to have Mount Richmond icserved 

 Ot n National Park This l.MlO acre 

 (now 2.000) National Park contain- 

 ing 45d species of flowerin)' plants 

 was created by act of Parliament in 

 late 1 960. A lookout tower with a 

 round-the compass view has heen 

 erected on the SUnVTOl and naincd 

 I earmonth Lookout m his lionom 

 He w as one of the pi one movers in 

 having small areas .cscrved at 

 Heathmere and near Cape Nelson. 

 More recently he did an extensive 

 survey for a south west coast pllUl 

 fling scheme, extending from Ivran 

 darra to Nelson, lor the Town and 

 < oiir.try Planning Authority. 



Noel has faithfully recorded much 

 of the early history of the Portland 

 area. This is to he found m his 

 hooks I'onlami B»> Stlllmum Ihc 

 Sior\ of a foil W*J four Town* anil 

 n Sunt?, fo travel in the Portland 

 district with Noel, whether it fic for 

 an hour or a day. was an experience 

 and an education. He had a tunning 

 commentary for Ihe properties, the 

 old homesteads, an endless number 



of lealiiies with historical asxocm 

 lions, ihc wrecks along the epay 

 where the rugged coastline had taken 

 a heaW loll ill s.liliHl' boat days, rjjlj) 

 last bul not least, the personalities, 

 who have eoutribuled so much to % 

 hisloiv and Ihe humour of this pa, 

 uf Victoria. 



Noel Lcarmonth was a perfect 

 gentleman and a perfect host He was 

 .it home in am company An lion; 

 or two spent m his company svas 

 always a ictreshiiig. and rcwardiuc 

 experience. His home at 45 Mum 

 Street hoth bCfOCe his wile passui 

 away m Pm4. md since, has been 

 open to ti lends and strangers alike 

 As would he expected, his home w« 

 placed m a hush selling with everv 

 encouragement to visiting "feathered 

 1 1 lends" 



About eighteen months ago. m\ 

 wife and 1 nave Noel a lifl to Mel 

 houine. ami m tile evening were Im 

 iMi'.Ms lor dinner. During Ihe dinnci 

 Sir James Darling, former head 

 mastei ol tjeelong Grammar, walked 

 passed: and on seeing Noel his quip 

 ••What! ..re you still walking arounJ 

 illusiiatcs perleelh the timeless insii 

 lulion which Noel Learmonlh hail 

 become 



Sorrow tfffij no stranger fo tin 

 house ol I eatuionth. One son din 

 in infancy, and Ihc other two sons 

 gave their lives in the Second Work' 

 War lohn as i prisoner ol war al'tci 

 Crete and Charles, who was in ttV 

 Air f-oiec. in rectify mg a technical 

 fault in a particular make ot ill 

 crall, near Penh, b Wolem Aus- 

 tralia Charles \v.,s awarded ik 

 OH ami Hat. and the an base Dl 

 beaimonth in the north west Dl 

 Western AustraJia bears his name. 



Noel Learmonlh is survived by t 

 daughter. Mrs. Don Haukri. five 

 grandchildren, and a brother. tec 

 FRfJ> IMvits 



Vicl MM Vol Hi 



