{{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Dr Don McMichael | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|CBE}} | image = | image_size = | caption = | office1 = Secretary of the Department of Environment and Conservation | term_start1 = 1 Jan 1973 | term_end1 = 21 April 1975 | office2 = Secretary of the Department of the Environment | term_start2 = 21 April 1975 | term_end2 = 22 December 1975 | office3 = Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs | term_start3 = 27 February 1978 | term_end3 = 3 November 1980 | office4 = Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs and Environment | term_start4 = 3 November 1980 | term_end4 = 1 February 1984 | office5 = Director of the National Museum of Australia | term_start5 = 1 February 1984 | term_end5 = 31 May 1989 | birth_name = Donald Fred McMichael | birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|01|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Rockhampton, Queensland | death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|06|10|1932|01|28|df=y}} | death_place = | occupation = Public servant | years_active = | website = | parents = | siblings = | spouse = | alma_mater = University of Sydney<br />Harvard University | children = }}
'''Donald Fred McMichael''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|CBE}} (28 January 1932 – 10 June 2017) was an Australian marine biologist and senior public servant.
==Life and career== McMichael was born in Rockhampton, Queensland on 28 January 1932. He was schooled at North Sydney Technical High School and Newcastle Technical High School, before graduating from University of Sydney in 1952 with first class honours in zoology.<ref name="NAA303">{{citation|title=CP 303: Dr Donald Fred MCMICHAEL CBE, AM|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CP+303|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=6 April 2015}}</ref> Don started his career as an Assistant Curator at the Australian Museum. He then received a Fulbright Travelling Scholarship to undertake an MA and PhD at Harvard University in 1953-55.<ref name="vale">{{citation|title=Vale: Don MCMICHAEL CBE|url=https://www.eianz.org/eianznews/vale-don-mcmichael-cbe|publisher=EIANZ News Dated 4 July 2017|access-date=22 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822145507/https://www.eianz.org/eianznews/vale-don-mcmichael-cbe|archive-date=22 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
His PhD thesis at Harvard University, which he began in 1953, was on Australian freshwater mussels.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Natural History of Sydney|page=119|editor1-first=Daniel|editor1-last=Lunney|editor2-first=Pat|editor2-last=Hutchings|editor3-first=Dieter|editor3-last=Hochuli|date=September 2010|publisher=Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales|isbn=978-0-9803272-3-6}}</ref>
On his return to Australia, Don was appointed Curator of Molluscs, and then Deputy Director (from 1967), of the Australian Museum. His positions with the Australian Museum encapsulated themes that were to continue throughout his professional life - public service, environment and museums.<ref name="vale" /> In 1969 he was appointed as the second Director of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, a role he held till 1973.
In December 1975, he was appointed Director of Environment within the new Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102193636|title=Environment director|date=24 December 1975|page=3|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref>
In February 1978, McMichael was appointed Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110885426|title=Former permanent head made Home Affairs Secretary|page=7|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=1 March 1978}}</ref><ref name="NAA CA 2474">{{citation|title=CA 2474: Department of Home Affairs [III], Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+2474|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=6 April 2015}}</ref> When that Department was reconstituted as the Department of Home Affairs and Environment, he continued as Secretary.<ref name="NAA CA 3068">{{citation|title=CA 3068: Department of Home Affairs and Environment, Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+3068|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=12 December 2013}}</ref> Issues of central importance during his time in the Department included the Tasmanian Dam case and the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116387698|title= Basis for setting PS heads' salaries called inappropriate|first=Beverley|last=Miller|page=8|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=1 February 1948}}</ref> and the need for a greening Australia program.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126893622|title=Need to 'green' Australia agreed|date=5 May 1982|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref>
McMichael was appointed the first Director of the National Museum of Australia in February 1984, for a seven-year term. At the time, the Museum was expected to open in 1990.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116387761|title=First museum head expects controversy|first=Lin|last=Enright|date=2 February 1984|page=3|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref> In May 1989, McMichael announced his retirement from the role and from the Australian Public Service, describing the last three years at the museum as "quite frustrating and negative" due to the Australian Government's lack of commitment to the museum.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122265399|title=Director leaves museum after 'frustrating' years in the job|first=Christine|last=Salins|date=26 May 1989|page=2|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}</ref>
==Awards== In June 1981, McMichael was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for public service.<ref>{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1065012|title=Search Australian Honours: McMICHAEL, Donald Fred, The Order of the British Empire - Commander (Civil)|publisher=Australian Government|work=itsanhonour.gov.au|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405230257/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1065012&search_type=quick&showInd=true|archive-date=5 April 2015}}</ref> He was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 for service as the first Director of the Australian Conservation Foundation.<ref>{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1127722|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405230418/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1127722&search_type=quick&showInd=true|archive-date=5 April 2015|title=Search Australian Honours: MCMICHAEL, Donald Fred, Centenary Medal|publisher=Australian Government|work=itsanhonour.gov.au}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Lenox Hewitt}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Environment and Conservation|years=1973–1975}} {{s-aft|after=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of the Environment}} {{s-bef|before=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Environment and Conservation}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of the Environment|years=1975}} {{s-aft|after=Bob Lansdown|as=Secretary of the Department of Environment, Housing and Community Development}} {{s-bef|before=A.R. Palmer (Acting)}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs|years=1978–1980}} {{s-aft|after=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs and Environment}} {{s-bef|before=John Farrands|as=Secretary of the Department of Science and the Environment}} {{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs and Environment|years=1980–1984|rows=2}} {{s-aft|after=Pat Galvin|rows=2}} {{s-bef|before=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs}} {{s-new|reason=Inaugural appointment to position}} {{s-ttl|title=Director of the National Museum of Australia|years=1984–1989}} {{s-aft|after=Margaret Coldrake}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McMichael, Don}} Category:1932 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Australian public servants Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Rockhampton Category:Harvard University alumni Category:University of Sydney alumni Category:People educated at North Sydney Technical High School