This photo appeared in the Bulletin, October 21, 1991. The text was:

"Illustration Scholarship Winner Named

A postgraduate art student who believes that artists can be just as scientists in raising public interest in the environment and the importance of conservation has won this year's National Parks and Wildlife Illustration Scholarship.

Thirty six year-old peter Marsack was named winner of the $1000 scholarship at a special presentation held in the Great Hall foyer late month. The Deputy Director (Field Management and Services) of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Mr Alastair Howard, travelled from Sydney to make the announcement.

The scholarship has been made available for the past eight years through the generosity of the National Parks and Wildlife Service Patrons. Candidates for the scholarship must be enrolled in the plant and wildlife illustration specialisation of the Graduate Diploma of Art course at the University, the course regularly attracting illustrators from throughout Australia.

Peter, who was named from three finalists, is a full-time student in the course and is currently working on a series of bird illustrators which he hopes will appeal to scientists and artists alike.

He said on receiving the scholarship that any amount of encouragement to bring art and science together was an important factor and thanked the NPWS and Patrons for supplying the scholarship on and annual basis.

Peter studied at Exeter University (B.Sc with Honours in Zoology) and Reading University (M.Sc - Crop Protection Technology) before moving to Australian in 1980 to join the Western Australia Department of Agriculture. He later transferred to the Agriculture Protection Board to research the biology of dingoes in the eastern goldfields of Western Australia as well as working on a range of pest species including parrots, starlings and feral pigs.

He resigned from the position late last year to enrol in the Newcastle course.

Mr Howard said that the quality of work was a credit to the candidates and that he hoped the NPWS would continue its association with the University for many years to come.

"I think the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Patrons have created a real interest in plant and wildlife illustration and many of the works on display for the scholarship are instantly recognisable from my travels in the country.

"I am astounded by the quality of work and it keeps up the high standard that has been set by candidates in previous years".

The other finalists were Kate Dempsey and Heather Vallance, Kate, who was raised near the sea in Sydney, last year completed a Bachelor of Science with a major study in Marine Biology and a Bachelor of Arts with a major study in Archaeology at James Cook University. Heather attended Sydney University where she gained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1985. Heather mixed part-time work with overseas travel before being appointed in 1989 as assistant manager of a beef cattle research station with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries in the Victoria Rivers district of the Northern Territory.

Kate and Heather also are enrolled as full-time students in the Graduates Diploma, the course being designed to enable students to achieve a level of artistic competence far above that expected in undergraduate courses. The plant and wildlife illustration specialisation is specialists in nature and encourages the development of personal identify through an individual study programs.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service and Patrons have supported the scholarship since its inception in 1984 and Peter's works will be exhibited by the NPWS."

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