Professor James (Jim) Bland
(Dec) Life Patron

Professor James (Jim) Bland was an associate of the original Insectarium of Victoria when the facility opened at Heathcote Victoria in September 1993.
Jim was of great support during the establishment of Australias first Insectarium and helped with the setting up of our first Arachnid Database using a pioneering Apple 2E Computer!.

Jim would often come and visit the centre and discuss the collections and their important significance for the region. At the time, there was an increasing awareness of the unique Box Ironbark Forests
of the area and Jim advocated for our collections to be used as a means to justify the creation of a series of National Parks in the region. Jim would often inspire our volunteers and members with talks and discussions
on the fauna and flora of the district and would often donate research books and other materials to the centre.

Although Jim passed away in 1998 after our move to Woodend, the network of National Parks for the Box- Ironbark was finally established as Jim would have wished. He is sorely missed.