Robert Endean
Marine Scientist
Inducted 6th December 2006
Robert Endean was born in Abermain in 1925, and moved to Abernethy as a child. He attended Cessnock High School and later completed Science Degrees in Zoology at the University of Sydney, where he was also awarded the University Medal. He completed his PhD at the University of Queensland in 1958.
Over his career, Robert held several academic positions at the University of Queensland, principally as a marine biologist, and became best known for his work on the Great Barrier Reef and the impact of the Crown-of-thorns starfish.
Robert accompanied Jacques Cousteau on his first reef expedition and was a pioneer in marine pharmacology.
Robert was the Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, which was instrumental in setting up the marine research station on Heron Island and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
During his career, Robert held many influential positions in his field of expertise, some of these include:
- Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Committee, which was instrumental in setting up the marine research station on Heron Island and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA)
- Founding member of the International Society on Toxinology
- Member of the Expert Advisory Committee on food additives of the World Health Organization 1976-1981
- Chairman of the Planning Committee for the 7th World Congress on Animal, Plant and Microbial Toxins
- Co-founder of the Guardians of the Reef organisation in 1989, which subsequently became Oceanguard Retired as Associate Professor of Zoology at the University of Queensland in 1990
Robert published 160 scientific papers, most of them in international journals.
Robert died on Heron Island in 1997 aged 71.
In 2015 Robert was honoured with the naming of the Bob Endean Reef off the Far North Queensland coast. The reef, east of Mission Beach, was named in recognition of Roberts pioneering research into crown-of-thorns starfish infestation and the ecology and toxicology of marine organisms.
For more information:
Plaque location
91 Vincent Street, Cessnock (garden bed)