Elery Hamilton-Smith
# Elery Hamilton-Smith

Elery Hamilton-Smith AM (28 December 1929 – 27 June 2015) was an Australian interdisciplinary scholar and academic, and later an adjunct professor of Environmental Studies at Charles Sturt University.

## Background

Elery Hamilton-Smith was born on a property named Shady Grove, near Hahndorf and grew up in rural South Australia.

He did not have conventional academic training, and graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Diploma in Social Sciences in 1956.

His professional career moved between research, consultancy and teaching in 50 countries.

* From 1949 to 1968 he worked in teaching and community services.
* From 1969 to 1977 he was a social policy & planning consultant, with an honorary position as zoologist at the South Australia Museum. His work included many studies on social policy and open space in Victoria, Australia.
* In the 1980s and 90s he was lecturer and then Professor, latterly in the Department of Leisure Studies, Phillip Institute of Technology (now RMIT University), Melbourne.
* Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, Charles Sturt University
* He spent a total of 15 years outside Australia working for the UNESCO World Heritage Bureau and the United Nations Development Program. Educational
* Fellowship with the Government of Canada.
* He also had many years of working (as a volunteer) within various IUCN programs.

## Professional contributions

Hamilton-Smith had wide interests. He worked on:

* social policy development and programmes dealing with youth issues.
* development of leisure and outdoor recreation activities
* Conservation, particularly tourism and visitor appreciation of wilderness and National Parks
* Cave and karst management
* sustainability and environmental studies.

## Awards

* Membership of the Order of Australia (AM) in Australia Day Honours List in 2001
* former federal president of the Australian Association of Social Workers
