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Remembering Ern Hoskin

Volunteer Tour Guide, Ern Hoskin had two passions in life – ornithology and Centennial Parklands.

Ernest Hoskin

(1914 - 2009)

Ern volunteered his time to the Parklands for almost 50 years, conducting birdwatching tours, observing and recording bird species and helping visitors to better understand the birdlife around them.

He was affectionately called the 'human lyrebird' for his ability to virtually 'whistle' the birds out of the trees and it is believed he could mimick 50 different bird species.

Ern a fount of knowledge about the species, populations and habitats of birds in the Parklands. You can download Ern's bird list of Centennial Parklands here. This information is exceptionally valuable data that can help us identify changes to the Parklands' biodiversity over time.

Additional to this were Ern's undoubted talents as a bird illustrator.  He had a wide portfolio of sketches and illustrations, many of which were used in the Birds of Sydney guide book 1991 edition. Ern painted a beautiful sign of the water birds of Centennial Parklands in 1973. The sign originally stood beside Duck Pond until pond restoration works took place in 1999. The sign was revitalised and re-installed near Willow Pond in 2002, but after many years in the elements is now kept in storage.  

In 1999 Ern Hoskin was awarded an Order of Australia for his outstanding contribution to ornithology and conservation. He is greatly missed by his friends and fellow ornitholigists.