Thomas Paine Bellchambers 
"There is the evil that comes from the destruction of valuable links in natures chain, on which man's very existence largely hangs. T. P. Bellchambers"
Born in England in 1858, Tom arrived in Australia in 1874 in search of work. Tom was intensely interested in the environment which was greatly influenced by his mother. Tom was a well known naturalist and conservationist. At the age of 47, Tom decided to buy some land in the Mount Lofty ranges in which Humbug Scrub Wildlife Sanctuary was born.
Tom wrote many articles for the local papers on the topic of conservation and the native flora and fauna which he saw slowly degrading due to the destructivism of man.
"Nature always provides a surplus for legitimate use, far in excess of needs, to ensure continuance of species...unrestrained, man uses up the capital instead of the surplus and this must, by natural law, end in disaster." T.P. Bellchambers
In addition to running the Sanctuary and raising his large family, Tom wrote two books, "Nature: Our Mother" and "A Nature-Lovers Notebook". It was Tom's outstanding work with the Mallee Fowl which attracted attention to the Sanctuary. In 1914, he became the first person in the world to breed the Mallee Fowl in captivity.
In his ideas and beliefs Tom Bellchambers was truely ahead of his time. Thomas Paine Bellchambers was a remarkable man with a remarkable vision. He died in 1929 at his beloved Sanctuary where he know rests. The Humbug Scrub Wildlife Sanctuary has been kept going by the Bellchambers family, in conjunction with Volunteers.
Information from "The Wizard of Humbug Forest" by Phillip S Bellchambers
^ top