moosenoose
Legendary
THE idea of a house full of snakes and lizards may not be everybody's cup of tea.
However, Brian Barnett can't think of a more rewarding pet.
The Ardeer resident has long been scaling the heights of herpetology, the study of amphibians and reptiles.
Mr Barnett's important contributions to the field were honoured on Australia Day with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), awarded for service to conservation and the environment.
For some it may seem an unusual area of interest, but for Mr Barnett it seems entirely natural. "I always liked pets that were a bit different," he says. "Over time it just got entrenched."
He recalls a childhood spent stalking paddocks near Boundary Road, on the look-out for darting blue tongue lizards and slithering snakes. The obsession continued into later life and carries through to this day.
Mr Barnett, president of the Victorian Herpetological Society from 1978 to 2000, continues to be involved. He has written a range of publications on herpetology and was a pioneer supplier of venomous snakes for the production of antivenoms during the 1950s and '60s.
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Source: Brimbank Weekly
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